Amending certain CAP Regulations as regards the conditionality system, types of intervention in the form of direct payment, types of intervention in certain sectors and rural development and annual performance reports, data and interoperability governance, suspensions of payments annual performance clearance and controls and penalties
The European Parliament adopted by 629 votes to 17, with 16 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 as regards the conditionality system, types of intervention in the form of direct payment, types of intervention in certain sectors and rural development and annual performance reports and Regulation (EU) 2021/2116 as regards data and interoperability governance, suspensions of payments annual performance clearance and controls and penalties.
The position adopted by the European Parliament at first reading amends the proposal as follows:
Environmental requirements
The new rules guarantee that areas classified as arable land on 1 January 2026 will retain this classification and will not be reclassified as permanent grassland even if the period has expired and the land has not been ploughed up, or tilled, or reseeded with different types of grass or other herbaceous forage.
Certified organic farmers will be deemed to comply with Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) standard in relation to their organic production units and their in-conversion production units. Member States may, however, limit this simplification if controls result in an excessive administrative burden.
Member States may grant temporary derogations from the requirements of those minimum standards where weather conditions, plant diseases or pest infestations prevent farmers and other beneficiaries from complying with those requirements in a given year.
Contribution to risk management tools
A Member State may decide to assign up to 3 % of the direct payments to be paid to a farmer as farmers’ contribution to risk management tools. Member States that decide to make use of this provision will apply it to all farmers receiving direct payments in a given year. Alternatively, such Member States may decide to apply it to the farmers for whom a risk management tool exists in a given year if this corresponds better to the risk management tool in place.
Payments to small farmers
The ceilings for support to small farmers are raised: an annual payment of up to EUR 3 000 (instead of the EUR 2 500 proposed by the Commission) and a new one-off funding for business development of up to EUR 75 000 (compared to the 50 000 proposed).
Aid to cooperation
Member States will limit aid for the establishment of producer groups, producer organisations or interbranch organisations to 10% of the annual marketed production of the group or organisation up to a maximum of EUR 500 000 during the programming period ending on 31 December 2027; this support will be degressive and limited to the first five years following recognition.
Flexibility
Member States with outermost regions may transfer up to 25% of the pre-allocated rural development envelope dedicated to outermost regions to finance measures under the remoteness and insularity options programmes (POSEI programmes).
Crisis payments
Member States will be required to make crisis payments to active farmers affected by natural disasters, adverse weather events, epizootics or catastrophic events.
On-the-spot checks
Inspections will take place according to the so-called ‘once only’ principle, so farmers will not have to undergo more than one official check on-the-spot in any given year.
Farmers with a maximum size of holding not exceeding 30 hectares of agricultural area declared will be exempt from the controls and penalties of GAEC standard 7 requirements.