Today, the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development adopted
its main report on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy
(CAP). The proposals fail to address the current climate
crisis and serves to perpetuate an unsustainable agricultural
model that is destructive for the planet and leads to the
disappearance of hundreds of farms every day, while favouring the
growth of large-scale industrial production. The next Parliament
will be charged with concluding the reform process.
Martin Häusling, Greens/EFA shadow rapporteur on
the file, comments:
"Today’s vote is a step backwards and a devastating blow to
farmers, consumers and the environment. The majority of MEPs in
the Agriculture committee are stuck to the environmentally
destructive methods of the past, preferring to plough on with
intensive, agrochemical-dependent agriculture over the needs of
famers and delicate ecosystems. The CAP must be reformed to
prevent devastating biodiversity loss, climate change and ensure
environmental protection, while at the same time ensuring a
decent income for farmers and quality food for 500 million EU
citizens.
"This policy fails small farmers, with much of the CAP funds
to be directed at larger farms and inequalities for farmers in
Central and Eastern Europe. It stands in stark contrast to the
millions of citizens mobilising every week, all across Europe, to
demand climate action.
"The CAP must be the driving force behind the ecological
transition, in line with the Paris Agreement, and we will fight
in the next Parliament to make this a reality. We need a fairer
distribution of public money, limiting direct payments to
€50,000, and for vital investment into vibrant communities and a
living countryside, through rural development funding.”
Background:
The plenary vote on the mandate for the negotiations with the
Council and the European Commission ("trialogue") on the Common
Agricultural Policy will take place in the new legislature. The
European Commission proposes €365 billion for the CAP budget
between 2021 and 2027, equivalent to 28.5% of the total budget of
the European Union. €265.2 billion alone are planned as direct
payments, only €78.8 billion are to be invested in rural
development. At present, 20% of CAP beneficiaries accumulate 80%
of payments.
