CAP: The European Council adopts the Commission's simplification proposals

Walloon Minister for Agriculture Willy BORSUS welcomes the adoption this Monday of the Regulation on the CAP, which notably concerns GAEC standards and other aspects of simplification. This is a concrete and important step forward in responding to the urgent demands expressed by the agricultural sector. The Minister will very soon launch consultations with farming organisations and the various stakeholders with a view to implementing these measures.

Following approval by the European Parliament on 24 April, the Council yesterday adopted the Commission's proposals concerning the relaxation of certain good agricultural and environmental conditions (GAEC) and the administrative simplification of the common agricultural policy (CAP).

The major changes are as follows:

• GAEC 6 : more subsidiarity for the Member State. Cover remains the main objective, and it is the Member State that decides on the periods and methods to be used.


• GAEC 7 : rotation remains the mandatory basic measure, but Member States may propose diversification as an alternative. In that case, it is up to the farmer to make a choice.


• GAEC 8 : the 4% non-productive area rate is abolished and the Member State must offer farmers an eco-scheme for fallow land or other measures and the establishment of new landscape features. The maintenance of non-productive areas and features may also be included in the eco-scheme if the requirements are stricter than those of GAEC 8 alone. The maintenance of landscape features and the ban on pruning during the nesting period remain in force.


• Specific provisions (still to be defined) will be possible for GAEC 9 for certain Member States.


• Holdings of less than 10 hectares are exempt from controls and sanctions linked to conditionality.


• Member States will have the option of amending the CAP Strategic Plan twice a year and in a more flexible way.


• Exemption for certified organic farmers from GAEC 7 and 8.

The Minister for Agriculture also wants additional measures to be taken regarding the streamlining of controls and the right to make mistakes. These indeed feature prominently among the administrative simplification measures decided upon in the Walloon Region.

As for the next steps, the European text will be signed by representatives of the Council and the European Parliament. It will then be published in the Official Journal and will enter into force the day after its publication, i.e. before the end of May.

The Minister for Agriculture also wishes to point out that important measures concerning the strengthening of farmers' position in the food chain have been or will shortly be implemented by the European Commission, notably:

• The immediate measures proposed by the Commission in its non-paper


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  • The creation and launch of an observatory on prices, margins and commercial practices is one of the first levers being put in place (kick-off meeting planned for July 2024)
  
  
  • The drafting of a report on the implementation of the Unfair Trading Practices Directive (completed in April 2024)
  
  
  
  

• The short-term measures proposed by the Commission

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  • The revision of the Regulation on the Common Market Organisation (CMO)
  
  
  • The strengthening of cross-border enforcement of the Unfair Trading Practices Directive
  
  
  
  

•  The medium-term measures proposed by the Commission

• The evaluation of the Unfair Trading Practices Directive planned for 2025, with a possible new legislative proposal.

Minimum soil cover to avoid bare soil during the most sensitive periods

Crop rotation on arable land

Minimum share of arable land devoted to non-productive areas and features

Ban on converting or ploughing permanent grassland