Farming – Image by Siggy Nowak on Pixabay
(BRUSSELS) – Negotiators from the European Parliament and the EU Council reached an informal political agreement Friday on three EU laws that will govern EU farm policy and the CAP for the years 2023 to 2027.
The deal paves the way for a simpler, fairer and greener Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) that is designed to provide a sustainable future for European farmers. The new CAP bolsters environmental measures and also includes provisions to ensure greater support for smaller farms and help young farmers enter the profession.
Portugal’s agriculture minister Maria do Ceu Antunes, for the EU presidency, said she was pleased with progress made in the last two days, “which gives us confidence that we have the conditions in place to reach an agreement.” However, she also cuationed that the proposals still need to be approved by the member states, “and only then we can truly say whether we’ve reached a deal or not.”
The inter-institutional talks covered all three regulations that made up the CAP reform package and focused on outstanding negotiation points, including:
- the minimum budget for direct payments for eco-schemes and the establishment of a learning period for member states;
- the mandatory minimum level of internal convergence for direct payments;
- greater redistribution of direct payments;
- the inclusion of a social dimension in the CAP;
- the alignment of the CAP with the European Green Deal.
The CAP accounts for around a third of the EU’s budget. Its aim is to:
- provide affordable, safe food for EU citizens;
- ensure a fair standard of living for farmers;
- preserve natural resources and respect the environment;
The main aspects of the proposals were:
- more targeted direct payments and rural development interventions, both subject to strategic planning
- a new ‘green’ architecture based on environmental conditions to be met by farmers and additional voluntary measures under both pillars
- a performance-based approach (the ‘new delivery model’) whereby member states would have to report their achievements each year
The agreement is provisional pending approval by the EU’s agriculture ministers at a Council meeting to take place on 28-29 June.
Following the introduction of a transitional arrangement at the end of 2020, the new CAP will take effect from 2023-2027.
The Common Agricultural Policy (background information)
Future of the CAP after 2020 (background information)
General approach on the regulation on CAP strategic plans
General approach on the regulation on financing, managing and monitoring of the CAP
General approach on the regulation on a common market organisation of agricultural products
