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The European Commission intends to streamline farming regulations for easier comprehension. - EU Commission Seeks to Streamline Agricultural Regulations for Farmers
In a bid to give farmers a breather from endless paperwork, the European Commission unveiled a plan to significantly simplify EU farm subsidies. This move could save farmers an estimated €1.58 billion in annual administrative costs, with national authorities saving around €200 million.
The Commission acknowledges the strict administrative requirements often don't reflect the local realities that farmers face. For instance, organic farmers may soon no longer need to prove they meet certain EU environmental standards to qualify for EU funding.
To reduce paperwork, the Commission plans to rely more heavily on satellite technology for controls. Additionally, a new principle is proposed: there will be only one on-site inspection per year and farm.
Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer applauds the proposals as a solid foundation for upcoming negotiations. "Farmers deserve freedom, not forms," says the CSU politician, with the goal to achieve simplifications this year. The desk won't be the most important field for farmers from now on.
However, before the new rules can take effect, the European Parliament and EU member states must also approve the plan.
To help farmers cope with crises like drought, frost, disease, or storms, EU member states will soon be able to allocate up to three percent of EU farm funds for such purposes. With climate change on the rise, weather-related crises are becoming more frequent.
Last year, farmers' protests in the EU led to the easing of environmental regulations and the exemption of smaller farms from controls due to excessive bureaucracy.
- EU
- Simplification
- Bureaucracy Reduction
- Satellite Technology
Diving Deeper
The European Commission's plan calls for a significant reduction of administrative obligations that impose heavy time and cost burdens on farmers and national administrations. The reform package includes the streamlining of control and implementation rules, making payments easier and more flexible to manage, as well as revising crisis response tools.
The plan embraces digitalization tools such as satellite technology for monitoring agricultural practices, reducing manual paperwork and physical inspections, and cutting down administrative time and costs.
The reform package is designed to better accommodate diverse farming practices, providing special support for organic farmers while recognizing their environmental benefits and different production systems. The plan aims to balance environmental initiatives with farmers' livelihoods by cutting red tape and supporting practical farming operations.
To help farmers buffer against income shocks from market disturbances or environmental challenges, the Commission is improving crisis response mechanisms within the CAP framework. These adjustments are part of a broader effort to increase the resilience of the agricultural sector.
The Commission intends to more than double current annual payments to farmers who adopt environmentally friendly agricultural practices. These financial incentives act as a push for farmers to reconcile production with sustainability goals while reducing bureaucratic complexity.
- The European Commission's plan seeks to reduce bureaucracy for farmers by streamlining control and implementation rules, employing technology such as satellite technology for monitoring, and providing special support for organic farmers.
- To help farmers manage crises like drought, frost, disease, or storms, the Commission plans to revise crisis response tools within the CAP framework, allowing EU member states to allocate up to three percent of EU farm funds for such purposes.
