New CAP: green light from Brussels to 9 strategic plans

7 November 2022

he European Commission has approved the strategic plans of the CAP involving nine countries (Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Poland, Portugal and Spain, Austria and Luxembourg). The new Common Agricultural Policy, which will enter into force on 1 January 2023, in fact provides for national strategic plans that – as a note from the Commission explains – can combine funding for income support, rural development and market measures. In the evaluation, the Commission verifies compliance with the ten key objectives set for the CAP which concern shared environmental, social and economic challenges.

The plans must be in line with EU legislation and should contribute to the achievement of climate and environmental objectives, including animal welfare, as set out in the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategy. The note recalls that the CAP budget is 270 billion for the period 2023-2027 and that the funding is also aimed at promoting afforestation, fire prevention, forest restoration and adaptation.

Farmers who participate in ecological schemes can be rewarded, among other things, for banning or limiting the use of pesticides and for limiting soil erosion. Furthermore, substantial funding will support the development of organic production, while areas subject to natural constraints will continue to benefit from specific funding to maintain agricultural activity. Among the challenges, made even more pressing by the war in Ukraine, is strengthening the resilience of agriculture to promote food security. Actions to encourage generational turnover to strengthen competitiveness and increase the attractiveness of rural areas are also a priority.