The European Parliament yesterday approved the agreement on the future Common Agricultural Policy. This will run from 2023 to 2027. No less than 3.5 years were spent negotiating the agreement. The new CAP stipulates, among other things, that at least 10 percent of the direct payments must go to small and medium-sized agricultural businesses. Also, part of the European support is reserved for young farmers.
The Common Agricultural Policy is one of the oldest and most active European policies. The new CAP accounts for €387 billion for the entire period, from 2023 to the end of 2027, almost one third of the total European budget. The last reform of EU farm policy dates back to 2013, when the rules laid down for 2013-2020 expired on 31 December 2020. As no new agreement was reached, they were extended and replaced by transitional rules until the end of 2022. Around 70% of the CAP budget supports the income of six to seven million farms in the EU.
Member states have until the end of this year to submit their strategic plans. Belgium will be the only member state to submit two strategic plans: one for Flanders and one for Wallonia. This will be followed by an evaluation by the Commission. On 1 January 2023, the new CAP will then start.
