In the background, as protests by farmers resurface, European governments have approved on Tuesday a relaxation of the environmental requirements imposed by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for accessing European subsidies. The move is part of the emergency package unveiled by the European Commission in mid-March, which includes an exemption for small farms under 10 hectares from the controls and penalties tied to non-compliance with CAP conditions. This adjustment aims to lessen the administrative burden on Europe’s primary sector while still pursuing environmental goals.
“Because this affects 65% of CAP beneficiaries but accounts for only about 10% of the land, it will substantially reduce the administrative load related to controls for both farmers and national administrations, all while preserving environmental ambitions,” explained the Council. In Spain, Agriculture Minister Luis Planas noted that roughly 345,000 farmers, more than half of CAP beneficiaries, will be exempt from these checks.
The decision was made on Tuesday, with Germany abstaining, during a prior meeting of the Special Committee on Agriculture, which brings together representatives from the Twenty-Seven. It still requires confirmation by the European Parliament via a fast-track procedure so that the plenary can decide in its first reading during its last session of April, between the 22nd and 25th. “Today is the moment to decide,” Planas commented, adding that once formally adopted, the package will apply retroactively from January 1, 2024.
“We have listened to our farmers and acted quickly to respond to their concerns at a time when they face multiple challenges. The targeted review of the rules establishes the right balance between greater flexibility for farmers and member states, and the reduction of administrative burden, while maintaining a high level of environmental ambition in the CAP,” highlighted Belgian Minister David Clarinval. He observed that on Wednesday Belgium witnessed the third large farmers’ protest in the country, with around 250 tractors attempting to block the city center.
Regulatory Simplification
The reform’s aim is to equip the sector with the flexibility it seeks to meet nine compulsory agricultural and environmental conditions in exchange for subsidies. The changes will allow member states to introduce temporary and specific derogations when farmers cannot meet requirements due to unforeseen climatic events such as droughts or floods. The revision also permits governments to adopt targeted exemptions related to three specific farmer demands.
First, member states will have more leeway to decide which soils to protect and when to protect them, based on national and regional particularities. Second, while crop rotation remains the primary practice, states can use crop diversification as an alternative, a measure that is demanding for farmers, especially in drought-prone or heavily rainfall-affected areas. Finally, farmers will only be obliged to maintain non-productive elements such as trees, and they will be encouraged, on a voluntary basis, to keep land fallow or to create new landscape features through ecological plans.
Minister Planas hailed that the reform fully incorporates Spain’s requests. He also stressed the need to continue advancing with other proposals, including reforms to the directive on unfair commercial practices, which he believes could become the CAP’s third pillar after direct payments and rural development. Planas noted that the reform should include measures already adopted by Spain in the Food Chain Law, such as written contracts, the establishment of a food-chain observatory for costs, prices and business margins, and stronger rules on transactions within the EU.
Citations: European Council, European Commission, and national ministries are referenced to reflect the official positions and anticipated parliamentary action. In ongoing developments, observers note that the balance struck between flexibility and ambition will shape how farmers adapt to the CAP’s evolving framework, and how member states implement these exemptions in practice.