The revision of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) proposed by the Special Committee on Agriculture was approved yesterday (24.4.2024) by the European Parliament.
The changes to the CAP were supported by a strong majority, 425 votes in favor, 130 against and 33 abstentions, in the European Parliament, while according to the decision:
- Revised environmental ‘conditions’ can already be used to apply for European support in 2024
- Possible more exceptions to some standards in case of extreme weather
- Smaller agricultural units are exempted from controls and penalties in case of non-compliance with some of the rules
The decision must then be approved by the Council and then published in the EU’s Official Journal to take effect immediately. This means that farmers will be able to apply revised environmental conditions to their applications for the aid they are entitled to receive in the current year 2024, from the EU.
The Minister of Rural Development and Food Lefteris Avgenakisstated the following:
“The decision of the European Parliament constitutes a triple victory.
- A win for Europe’s farmers as their demand for reduced administrative burdens is largely accepted.
- A victory for Greece, which took the lead and is leading the effort for changes, being the only country that has tabled 19 specific proposals which the EPP has adopted with its resolution, but the countries of the Mediterranean South, i.e. the EUMED-9 group, also support.
- Victory for Europe itself, as it proves that it is not a bureaucratic mechanism, but a living organization that listens to citizens and their concerns and corrects any mistakes.
With their decision, the MEPs essentially gave the “green light” for the revision of the Agricultural Policy with the aim of reducing the administrative burden for farmers, a pan-European request during the recent mobilizations.
However, there are other issues to discuss.
There are issues that must be addressed due to the climate crisis we are now experiencing and which were not visible, to the extent they are today, when the new CAP was being discussed.
These issues, such as the commitment of 2% of the CAP to deal with disasters like “Daniel” or the possibility of transferring resources from pillar to pillar and from year to year, which will leave room for greater absorption and fairer – depending on the needs of each member state – allocation of resources, but also the improvement of ecological schemes as well as the protection of European farmers from unfair competition from third countries, we will discuss at the 5th meeting of EUMED-9, which will take place – again on a Greek initiative – Good Monday, in Luxembourg, but also in the Council of Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries of the EU.
We know the problems of our farmers and exhaust every possibility to support them, using existing alliances such as the European People’s Party, or activating new ones, such as the group of Mediterranean countries.
The solutions to the problems arise only through joining forces and continuous dialogue with those who face them. We as a government are also doing this, as both the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and the leadership of the Ministry of Rural Development are in a continuous, honest dialogue with both the farmers and the member states that face common problems.
We will not stop trying. We continue together!”.
