The European Commission has today (Wednesday, January 31) proposed a one-year derogation for farmers from Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) rules on fallow lands.
The proposal, which will need to be voted on by EU member states, is the first response by the commission to ongoing farmer protests across Europe.
Demonstrations have taken place in France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and elsewhere as farmers vent their frustrations over EU environmental policies, rising costs and cheap food imports.
Roads, airports and ports have been blocked as bales of hay, manure and tyres were set on fire in some areas.
The proposal also follows requests from several countries in agriculture council meetings for the introduction of such a measure following extreme weather events across the continent over the past year.
CAP
In order to receive CAP supports, farmers must adhere to nine standards referred to as “good agricultural and environmental conditions” (GAECs).
This principle of conditionality applies to close to 90% of the utilised agricultural area in the EU and aims to mainstream sustainable farming practices.
The GAEC 8 standard requires, among other things, devoting a minimum share of arable land to non-productive areas or features.
The latter typically refers to land lying fallow but also features such as hedges or trees.
Farms with fewer than 10ha of arable land are typically exempted from this obligation.
Derogation
The commission is now proposing that all EU farmers to be exempted from this requirement in 2024 and still be eligible for their CAP basic direct payment.
Instead of keeping the land fallow or unproductive on 4 % of their arable land, EU farmers growing nitrogen fixing crops (such as lentils, peas, or favas) and/or catch crops on 7% of their arable land will be considered as meeting the requirement.
The commission said that the proposal is “carefully calibrated to provide the right balance between offering appropriate relief to farmers facing numerous crises on the one hand, and protecting biodiversity and soil quality on the other hand”.
The measure will be voted on in the coming days by member states during a committee meeting.
If passed, the commission will then proceed with formal adoption of the regulation which will apply retroactively from January 1, 2024.
Member states who wish to apply the derogation at national level need to notify the commission within 15 days so that farmers can be informed as soon as possible.
Commenting on the proposal, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said: “Farmers are the backbone of EU food security and the heart of our rural areas.
“The Commission’s enduring commitment is delivered through our Common Agricultural Policy budget worth €386.7 billion which helps stabilise European farmer’s income, while rewarding their efforts on climate and sustainability.
“Today’s measure offers additional flexibility to farmers at a time when they are dealing with multiple challenges.
“We will continue to engage with our farmers to ensure the CAP strikes the right balance between responding to their needs while continuing to deliver public goods for our citizens,” she added.