Mercosur: What France and Italy want to get for EU farmers
The European ministers of France and Italy have adopted a joint declaration on the Mercosur agreement. They are calling for more protection against market distortions for EU farmers.
Less checks and applications and generous exemptions for organic farmers: The EU Commission has presented its CAP simplification package. Here's what's included.
The EU Commission has today (14.5.) presented its proposal for another simplification package to relieve the agricultural sector. Significant simplifications are planned for conditionality, an extension of the small farmer scheme, fewer checks, and extensive exemptions for organic farms. According to EU Commissioner for Economic Affairs Valdis Dombrovskis, farmers are estimated to be relieved of nearly 1.6 billion euros in bureaucratic costs annually through the package.
EU Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen called on the Council and the EU Parliament to adopt the proposals by the end of the year so that the relaxations can reach farmers by 2026. Federal Minister of Agriculture Alois Rainer called the package "a solid foundation" for negotiations in the Council and the EU Parliament. He announced that he would vigorously advocate for a CAP that is closer to the reality of farms - less bureaucratic, more practical, and sustainable. The desk should not be the most important "field" for farmers.
The flat rate for small farmers will be doubled. "We are bringing pragmatism back to the Common Agricultural Policy," said Hansen. Part of the simplification package is a new principle: only one on-site inspection per year and per farm. The annual flat payment for small farmers is set to increase from 1,250 euros to 2,500 euros. These farms should not have to submit a detailed funding application. In addition, small farmers should be able to receive easier financial support of up to 50,000 euros for growth investments. However, the so-called small farmer scheme is a voluntary instrument of the CAP that has not yet been applied by Germany and most other member states.
The cap on grassland conversion will be doubled. Changes are expected in the GLÖZ standards regarding the protection of permanent grassland, moor and wetland protection, and the creation of buffer strips along watercourses. For permanent grassland (GLÖZ 1), member states are allowed to raise the accepted maximum limit for decline from 5% to 10%; the reference year remains 2018. In addition, such grassland areas should only receive the status of "permanent grassland" after seven years without conversion. After that, conversion is only permissible in exceptional cases. The deadline was previously five years.
Peatland protection can be compensated. In GLÖZ 2 - the protection of peatlands and wetlands - EU member states may offer additional compensation to their farmers who comply with the national regulations, especially if these national requirements go beyond EU law. There are virtually no changes to the status quo in the GLÖZ-4 standard regarding the creation of buffer strips along water bodies. However, a reduction of overlaps with other laws such as the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and corresponding administrative burdens for farmers is planned.
Organic farms largely exempt from GLÖZ requirements. Ecologically managed farms should be exempt from five requirements to maintain the "good agricultural and environmental condition" (GLÖZ). Specifically, this concerns GLÖZ 1 for the preservation of permanent grassland and GLÖZ 3, the prohibition of stubble burning. Also included are GLÖZ 4 (buffer strips), GLÖZ 5 (reduction of soil erosion), and GLÖZ 6 minimum soil cover).
Room for a new national crisis instrument. Member states should be able to use up to 3% of their CAP funds for a national crisis intervention fund. These new instruments can be used in cases of natural disasters and adverse weather conditions that directly affect farmers. Hansen noted that the EU crisis reserve has proven to be insufficient. It should be complemented by the new national funds but not replaced. In addition, member states should be able to implement changes to their national strategy plans in a significantly simplified procedure. Brussels expects member states to be relieved of 210 million euros in administrative costs through the simplification package. Hansen emphasized that the simplifications would not lower the "ambition bar" in environmental and climate protection. It would simply eliminate the "wild growth". EU agricultural policy remains "green". The simplification package does not replace the CAP reform for the years from 2027. The CAP reform proposal is expected in the third quarter of this year, when the EU's multiannual financial framework (MFF) is in draft form.
Union members welcome Commission proposal. CSU MEP Stefan Köhler welcomed the package as a good first step. He called for an urgent procedure so that the measures could be implemented before the autumn sowing. CDU MEP Christine Schneider called the package the start of a new CAP. "The crucial point is: we must reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens, as proposed by Commissioner Hansen for the GLÖZ standards."
AbL fears the dismantling of agricultural policy. Ottmar Ilchmann of the Working Group for Peasant Agriculture (AbL) criticized the simplification package as a "dismantling of agricultural policy". It is particularly serious that EU member states should be given the opportunity to convert significantly more grassland than before. This would further exacerbate climate change and species extinction, warned Ilchmann. He called on the Commission not to make grassland conversion easier but to introduce additional funding opportunities for grassland farms within the organic regulations. In addition, the new Federal Minister of Agriculture Alois Rainer should quickly implement the additional organic regulation for the pasture management of dairy cows, as decided by the Bundestag.
Environmental associations fear for environmental protection. The Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) warned against weakening key environmental standards. "In times of tight public budgets, it is irresponsible to continue distributing agricultural funds indiscriminately while important environmental standards are being dismantled," criticized Raphael Weyland, NABU office manager in Brussels. Important protection measures for diverse grassland and climate protection would be weakened. In addition, the German Environmental Aid (DUH) strongly criticized the proposals: under the guise of bureaucracy reduction, environmental rules for conventional agriculture should be abolished while agricultural subsidies are distributed indiscriminately.