Faced with the anger of farmers, the member states of the European Union validate the revision of the common agricultural policy

Parliament had already voted at the end of April for this package of measures designed to ease certain environmental rules, which will come into force by the end of May.

The European Union’s response to farmers’ anger is progressing. EU states gave their final green light to a review of the common agricultural policy (CAP) which should ease certain environmental rules in order to appease discontent in the sector, Monday May 13.

The text, already adopted at the end of April as part of an emergency procedure by the European Parliament, contains several measures. For example, it authorizes Member States to completely remove the obligation to leave at least 4% of arable land fallow or non-productive areas (hedges, groves, ponds, etc.). The crop rotation obligation could be replaced by a simple “diversification”and the ban on bare floors during periods “sensitive” like the supervision of plowing are considerably relaxed.

Coming into force at the end of May

Above all, farms of less than 10 hectares (i.e. 65% of CAP beneficiaries, for 9.6% of surface areas) will be exempt from controls and penalties linked to environmental rules. In the event of extreme weather episodes, exemptions will be possible to avoid penalties.

These measures will be published in the Official Journal of the EU and will come into force by the end of May, with retroactive application covering the first months of 2024. Farmers also demanded higher prices “fair” faced with pressure from processors and distributors, a request to which the Commission responded with a “roadmap” offering a “observatory” on production prices and an evaluation of the rules on unfair commercial practices – but without a legislative proposal for the moment.

The current CAP covers the period 2023-2027. Brussels opened at the end of January a “strategic dialogue” with agricultural organizations, representatives of the agri-food industry, experts and NGOs, whose conclusions expected in the fall must be used to develop a new CAP. The next European Commission, which will be formed in the fall after the June elections, will have to propose a new framework for agricultural policy from 2028.