Policy Markets Research

How will individual EU countries deliver on CAP strategic plans?

Member States’ CAP strategic plans will combine a wide range of targeted interventions addressing their specific needs and delivering tangible results in relation to EU-level objectives, while contributing to the Green Deal.

13 April 2021

3 minute read

In the context of the European Green Deal, which sets out the path to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will be instrumental in managing the transition towards a sustainable food system and in strengthening the efforts of European farmers to contribute to the EU’s climate objectives and to protect the environment.

Future CAP Strategic Plans, drafted by Member States and adopted by the European Commission after a careful assessment, will put CAP instruments into practice (direct payments, rural development and sectorial interventions) and fulfil the objectives of the CAP and the ambition of the European Green Deal with its detailed strategies in a holistic way.

The Commission has analysed the situation of the different Member States with regard to the nine specific objectives of the future CAP and the cross-cutting objective on knowledge, innovation and digitalisation, based on the latest available evidence and, where appropriate, taking into account further information provided by the Member States. This analysis also includes the assessment of the situation of each Member State in light of its contribution to each of the European Green Deal targets and ambitions: the targets related to the use and risks of pesticides, sales of antimicrobials, nutrient losses (reducing excessive use of fertilizers), area under organic farming, high-diversity landscape features on agricultural land and access to fast broadband internet in rural areas.

On the basis of this analysis, the Commission has elaborated recommendations for the 27 Member States, published in the form of 27 Commission Staff Working Documents accompanying this Communication. The recommendations aim to show the direction that the CAP Strategic Plans need to take in implementing the specific objectives of the CAP in order to jointly contribute to achieving the Green Deal’s objectives. While maintaining the proposed flexibility for Member States in the implementation of the new policy framework, these recommendations identify key strategic issues that need to be tackled urgently for each Member State and provide guidance on how to address them in the CAP Strategic Plans.

Recommendations differentiate between efforts that Member States need to make and recognize the economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainability in the aim to encourage innovative approaches to guarantee that the future CAP Strategic Plans provide effective solutions to the challenges ahead in an integrated and territorially balanced way. Member States that already perform well in policy areas such as organic farming or animal welfare are encouraged to continue these positive trends.

These recommendations are addressed to Member States in the framework of a structured dialogue. Together with other relevant considerations, they will be used by the Commission in its assessment of the CAP Strategic Plans once formally submitted by Member States, based on the criteria set out in Article 106 of the draft CAP Strategic Plans Regulation. The Commission will address observations to the Member States as part of the approval process of their CAP Strategic Plan. The Commission will verify, at the time of approval and amendment of the CAP Strategic Plans, the overall coherence of the Plans with the Green Deal objectives and targets.