The European Commission proposed a plan to ease environmental regulations linked to the European Union’s major farming subsidy program. The proposal, introduced on Wednesday, May 14, would weaken regulations and reduce paperwork for farmers.
The move comes after farmers across Europe staged large-scale protests using large farm equipment to block roads in France, the Czech Republic, Brussels, Germany and other EU nations.
How blockades became a symbol of revolt
Protesting with blockades, particularly in France, has a history that dates back decades. In the 1950s, for example, French farmers struggling to keep up with industrialization costs staged mass protests, establishing the farm equipment blockade “as a form of revolt,” according to Time magazine.
In January, farmers demanding lower fuel prices, higher wages and fewer regulations brought large farm vehicles to block the streets of Paris as protesters said new government requirements threatened their livelihoods. European leaders argued that the policies were necessary to fight climate change.
One of the main sticking points for farmers was reportedly a requirement under the EU’s Nature Restoration Law for 4% of farmland to remain vacant to preserve and restore natural habitats harmed by agriculture. Farmers contended the rule hurt their production ability, thus cutting into their already diminishing income.
What changes are officials considering?
The European Commission’s proposal would implement several measures to help farmers, including increasing lump sum payments to more than $2,800 for independent farmers who agree to implement environmentally friendly agricultural practices. The payments would be double what farmers are currently receiving. The commission also said it is looking to streamline administrative rules that will save farmers roughly $1.8 billion a year, according to Bloomberg.
EU Agricultural Commissioner Christophe Hansen said he is considering rule changes that could take effect as soon as 2026 and need to be signed off on by EU member states and Parliament.
“The commission is on farmers’ side, and we are doing our best to cut the bureaucracy so they can focus on what they do best; producing food for all of us while protecting our natural resources,” Hansen said.
What else could change?
Other proposed changes include allowing farmers to remove 10% instead of the current allowance of 5% of permanent grasslands, which the bloc has urged farmers to preserve to keep carbon dioxide in the ground as part of an effort to combat climate change. Farmers would also be eligible for additional subsidies to meet current requirements aimed at maintaining wetlands and their ecosystems.
Critics of removing more permanent grasslands argue that the rule change would put farms at greater risk of flooding because wetlands often help prevent flooding and protect against droughts.
“Instead of helping farmers protect these vital ecosystems, the Commission is handing out a blank cheque to destroy them,” Matilda Dhaskali, a policy officer for the group Birdlife, told Reuters.
The commission’s plan would also allow member nations to distribute more money quickly to respond to natural disasters as climate change worsens. The EU argues that policies reducing paperwork and increasing subsidies are necessary for agricultural businesses to compete with Beijing and Washington.
What is CAP and how much money is in its budget?
The EU’s spending on its Common Agricultural Policy makes up a large portion of the bloc’s budget. Reuters reports that the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, or CAP, which allocates farming subsidies, is worth roughly $430 billion, or about a third of the EU’s total 2021-2027 budget.
The EU has yet to finalize its next seven-year budget cycle, and the long-term investment and funding details for its agricultural plan, announced in February, remain undisclosed.
How are farming groups responding?
Agricultural advocacy groups are concerned about the potential changes. European lobby group Copa-Cogeca and other organizations have planned demonstrations in Brussels on May 20, according to Bloomberg. They are particularly concerned that a “single fund” for the Common Agricultural Policy threatens to create a law with “less focus, fewer guarantees, and no shared vision.”
The proposed changes by the commission must now be negotiated and approved by EU nations and the Parliament.
