European Commission simplifies Common Agricultural Policy to support farmers and enhance competitiveness

The proposal is targeting the administrative burden, controls, implementation, crisis response and investment needs of the sector. The changes could save up to €1.58 billion annually for farmers and €210 million for national administrations, while making payments, certain requirements, and crisis tools more flexible and easier to manage. 

This initiative is part of a broader simplification effort aligned with the EU's Competitiveness Compass and supports the competitiveness, resilience and digitalisation of the agricultural sector, as well as young and organic farmers specifically.

Farmers across the EU are subject to heavy administrative obligations that often fail to reflect the realities on the ground. This regulatory burden is time consuming and generates costs for farmers and national administrations. It leads to lower acceptance of obligations and may also discourage investment.

To address these challenges, the Commission is now proposing targeted solutions through a set of concrete legislative changes based on operational experience and extensive feedback from stakeholders and Member States. The measures include:

• Simplified payment scheme for small farmers
• Simplified environmental requirements and controls
• Strengthened crisis management and simpler procedures for national administrations
• Enhanced competitiveness and digitalisation

More information:

Full press release

Questions and Answers on the Common Agricultural Policy simplification package

Common Agricultural Policy simplification package