Parliament says the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) must not be integrated with other funding areas or become part of a wider financial envelope used by member states for purposes other than agriculture.
Direct income support should be paid to all active, professional farmers following an area-based model. Rural development must be supported independently of cohesion policies, MEPs add.
Simplification of the CAP
Reducing the administrative burden for farmers must be one of the CAP’s guiding principles. MEPs want an incentive-based system to encourage farmers to achieve environmental and social objectives. Eco-schemes should remain voluntary and be accompanied by remuneration. MEPs want existing farming practices to be taken into account when farmers are required to comply with requirements to maintain land in good agricultural and environmental condition (GAEC).
Digitalisation of agriculture
All farmers must have access to innovative and digital solutions that support sustainable agriculture, boost their income, and reduce their administrative workload. To minimise stressful farm inspection procedures, MEPs say the monitoring of the use of CAP funds should be based on satellite imagery and self-certification, in a centralised, electronic reporting system.
Water management and circular economy in agriculture
To ensure sufficient and good-quality food production, Parliament wants investments in the modernisation and development of water retention, distribution, and storage infrastructure as well as in waste-water purification and treatment. Farmers should be also offered incentives for the recovery of biomass, agricultural waste and co-products.
Generational renewal on farms
Generational renewal is essential for the future of EU agriculture, but almost 58% of farmers in the EU are over 55 and only 6% under 35. MEPs want to increase financing from the CAP and raise the number of tax and loan incentives, so as to remove barriers to becoming a farmer.
The report was adopted by 393 votes to 145 and 123 abstentions.
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Rapporteur Carmen Crespo Díaz (EPP, ES) said: “We are fighting for the fair future Europe’s agricultural sector deserves. That means a truly common CAP that strengthens the food supply chain, supports vibrant rural communities, and empowers farmers through innovation, generational renewal, and fair market conditions. We cannot support any cuts, nor any attempts to nationalise the CAP or merge its funding with other EU instruments. Above all, we must safeguard and guarantee direct payments to farmers; these are the backbone of their income and the most effective tool to ensure food security and territorial balance across Europe.”
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