Today, the European Commission approved the CAP Strategic Plan of the Netherlands. The new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), set to start on 1 January 2023, is designed to shape the transition to a sustainable, resilient and modern European agricultural sector. Under the reformed policy, funding will be more fairly distributed among farms, with an emphasis on small- and medium-sized farms, as well as young farmers. Moreover, farmers will be supported to take up innovation, from precision farming to agro-ecological production methods. By supporting concrete actions in these and other areas, the new CAP can be the cornerstone for food security and farming communities in the European Union.
The new CAP incorporates a more efficient and effective way of working. EU countries will implement national CAP Strategic Plans, combining funding for income support, rural development and sectorial programmes. In designing its CAP Strategic Plan, each Member State chose from a wide range of interventions at EU level, tailoring and targeting them to address their specific needs and local conditions. The Commission has been assessing whether each Plan is aimed towards the ten key CAP objectives, which touch upon shared environmental, social and economic challenges. The Plans need to be in line with EU legislation and should also contribute to the EU's climate and environmental goals, as set out in the Commission's Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies.
The CAP will benefit from €270 billion of EU funding for the 2023-27 period. The Plan approved today represents a total EU budget of more than €4 billion, including €1.4 billion dedicated to environmental and climate objectives and eco-schemes, and €107 million to young farmers.
A fair distribution of financial support is one of the economic objectives of the Dutch CAP Strategic Plan. Farmers will receive a higher income support per hectare for their first 40 hectares. €17.5 million will be available every year to cover the costs of weather insurance for farmers so they can be compensated if their harvest is lost due to drought or flood. The Dutch Plan also includes support for 3 000 young farmers to start a farm. The Netherlands will apply strict good agricultural and environmental conditions on more than 96% of its agricultural area. In addition to that, about €760 million will be used on more than 1.5 million hectares to encourage and support farmers in planting non-productive crops, implementing agricultural practices that protect the soil and reduce the use of nutrients and pesticides. Support for rural development projects and businesses is expected to create around 2 500 jobs. Thanks to direct financial support, around 55 000 persons will benefit from advice, training or knowledge exchange related to environmental or climate-related performance. The Dutch CAP Strategic Plan was jointly prepared by the Dutch Government, the Provinces and the Water Boards to also ensure synergies with other policies and national resources.
More information on each Plan as well as the breakdown of their CAP budget is available in the “at a glance” documents.
Background
The European Commission presented its proposal for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform in 2018, introducing a new way of working to modernise the EU's policy on agriculture. Following extensive negotiations between the European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the European Commission, an agreement was reached and the new CAP was formally adopted on 2 December 2021.
The deadline set by co-legislators for Member States to submit their CAP Strategic Plan was 1 January 2022. After receiving the Plans, the Commission sent observation letters to all of the Member States by 25 May 2022. They were published on the Europa website together with the reactions of all Member States, in line with the transparency principle. A structured dialogue between the Commission services and national authorities resumed thereafter to solve remaining issues and finalise the revised CAP Plans.
The Netherlands submitted its first CAP Strategic Plan proposal on 29 December 2021, after consultations with stakeholders. It then sent its reviewed proposal, addressing the Commission’s observations, on 2 November.
To be approved, each Plan must be complete and compatible with the legislation, and ambitious enough to deliver on the CAP objectives and EU environmental and climate commitments.
For more information
“At a glance”: insights into the CAP Strategic Plan of the Netherlands
Details
- Publication date
- 13 December 2022
- Author
- Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development