The European Commission has defended the environmental and climate ambition of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) strategic plans, following criticism from the European Court of Auditors (ECA).
In late September, the Court of Auditors – which audits the expenditure of EU institutions – released a report on CAP that said there was a “noticeable gap” between the EU’s environmental and climate targets and the agricultural plans drawn up by EU countries.
According to the ECA, all member states made use of exemptions to agricultural and environmental conditions, while some reduced or delayed the application of the green measures that are required for obtaining EU money.
The court claimed that the CAP plans do not show a substantial increase in green ambition, based on its examination of four CAP strategic plans, including Ireland’s.
The commission got its first opportunity to formally respond to that report this week, when the director-general for agriculture – the senior commission civil servant responsible for that area – appeared before MEPs in the European Parliament.
Addressing a joint meeting of the parliament’s budget committee and agriculture committee, the director-general, Wolfgang Burtscher, said: “When it comes to the…finding which is the statement that the final plans do not show a substantial increase compared to the previous period in terms of green ambition, I would like to share with you the following thoughts.
“Firstly, I think that we have to recall the objectives of the CAP legislation. [The strategic plans regulation] states that member states shall aim to make a greater overall contribution with regard to environmental and climate-related contributions,” he added.
“Moreover, its states that the commission, when assessing the plans, should assess the consistency of these plans with, and contribution to, the union’s [environmental] targets for 2030.”
Burtscher highlighted that, while the the CAP legislation requires “consistency” and “contribution” in terms of the 2030 targets, it does not require compliance with those targets.
“It is important that we keep in mind what the legislation has put expectations on a greater overall contribution. I think that the elements that we have in the plans ensures such a greater overall contribution,” he added.
“In political terms, is this enough or not enough? It raises the question is the glass half-full or half-empty,” the director-general commented.
“When it comes to environmental ambition, there is always a fine balance between a fair income for farmers and the green ambition.
“So just to look at the green ambition without looking at the income affects of such green ambitions might fall short with respect to some expectations,” Burtscher added.
He also said that this CAP was the first time that member states have had to deliver “such a holistic approach”, and they had to ensure that support schemes were designed in such a manner that farmers take them up, as they are voluntary measures.
He said: “As a result of these national strategic plans, one-third of the expenditure under the CAP is for green objectives, €90 billion. 47% of EU farmland is covered by practices for sustainable soil management. 22% of EU farmland is covered by practices to increase quality of water. 31% is covered by practices for biodiversity conservation. 90% of land is covered by enhanced conditionality.
“I leave it to your judgement whether this is enough or not. This is a valid political question, but I do think that, with respect to the target in the CAP regulation, which is a greater overall contribution, I think that the CAP plans meet these objectives.
“We appreciate this report because it helps us for our future policy design. But…we should implement what the legislator has decided. And I have quoted the legal acts that designed the objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy, and someone would need to tell me how I should force member states to be more ambitious, if, in the legal texts, it states, as I have quoted, that, in principle, greater overall contribution is achieved,” Burtscher added.