The European Commission has today (Wednesday, August 31) approved the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plans for Ireland and six other countries.
The other countries are: Denmark; Finland; France; Poland; Portugal; and Spain. This is an important step for the implementation of the new CAP on January 1, 2023.
According to the commission, the new CAP is designed to shape the transition to a sustainable, resilient and modern European agricultural sector.
Under the reformed policy, funding is aimed at being more fairly distributed to small and medium-sized family farms, as well as to young farmers.
Farmers will also be supported to take up new innovations, from precision farming to agro-ecological production methods.
By supporting concrete actions in these and other areas, the commission said that the new CAP can be the cornerstone for food security and farming communities in the European Union (EU).
CAP Strategic Plan
EU countries, including Ireland, will implement national CAP Strategic Plans, combining funding for income support, rural development and market measures.
In designing their CAP Strategic Plan, each member state chose from a wide range of interventions at EU level, tailoring and targeting them to address their specific needs and local conditions.
The commission has been assessing whether each plan builds towards the 10 key CAP objectives, which touch upon shared environmental, social and economic challenges.
Hence, the plans will be in line with EU legislation and should contribute to the EU’s climate and environmental goals, including on animal welfare, as set out in the commission’s Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies.
Agriculture Commissioner, Janusz Wojciechowski, said: “We are now one step closer to implementing a new CAP for the next five years.
“This step comes at a crucial moment, when the importance of providing robust support for our farming sector has become abundantly clear.
“Farmers are facing a challenging environment, marked by the sharp increase in production costs due to the Russian aggression in Ukraine, as well as the recent summer drought,” he added.
“Farming is a long-term business and European farmers need to have a clear legal and financial framework for the future. The new CAP will help us to support stable farming livelihoods and long-term food security by fostering a smart, competitive, resilient and diversified agricultural sector.”
CAP funding
The CAP will benefit from €270 billion in funding for the 2023-2027 period. The seven strategic plans approved today represent a budget of over €120 billion, including over €34 billion dedicated exclusively to environmental and climate objectives and eco-schemes.
This amount can be used to promote beneficial practices for soil, and to improve water management and grassland quality, for instance.
The CAP can also promote afforestation, fire prevention, restoration and adaptation of forests. Farmers participating in eco-schemes may be rewarded for banning or limiting the use of pesticides, and limiting soil erosion.
Between 86% and 97% of the national utilised agricultural area will be farmed under good agricultural and environmental conditions, according to the commission.
Substantial funding will also support the development of organic production, with most countries aiming to double or even triple their farming area.
Areas under natural constraints, such as in mountains or on the coast, will continue to benefit from specific funding to maintain an agricultural activity.
Food security
In the context of the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the ongoing commodity surge, the European Commission has invited member states to exploit all opportunities in their CAP Strategic Plans to strengthen the resilience of their agricultural sector in order to promote food security.
This includes reducing dependence on synthetic fertilisers and scaling up the production of renewable energy without undermining food production, as well as promoting sustainable production methods.
The commission also highlighted that generational renewal is one of the main challenges facing European agriculture in the coming years, adding that it is essential for the agricultural sector to stay competitive and to increase the attractiveness of rural areas.
Specific support to young farmers features prominently in each approved plan, with over €3 billion that will directly reach young farmers in the seven countries approved today.
After having approved the first seven CAP Strategic Plans, the European Commission said it remains fully committed to a quick approval of the 21 remaining plans, taking into account the quality and timeliness of reactions following the commission’s observations.