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Agriculture and rural development
  • News article
  • 11 November 2022
  • Brussels
  • Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development
  • 3 min read

The Commission approves the CAP Strategic Plans of Estonia and Latvia

Today, the European Commission approved the CAP Strategic Plans of Estonia and Latvia. 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 market measures. 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 EU funding for the 2023-27 period. The two Plans approved today represent a budget of €3.8 billion, including €1.1 billion dedicated to environmental and climate objectives and eco-schemes, and €88 million for young farmers.

Estonia will earmark about 45% of its CAP Plan’s total funding to help stabilise the income of farmers and rural businesses. Small- and medium-sized farms will also benefit from a higher income support. Regarding its environmental priorities, the Estonian Plan will use around €456 million of its total CAP budget to support environmental and climate objectives, focusing on carbon sequestration, biodiversity and valuable grasslands, as well as increasing knowledge about sustainable production. More than 23% of the agricultural land will receive support for practicing organic farming. Finally, Estonia expects to create 1250 new rural jobs through CAP supported projects. Specific aid will also be given to young farmers to address depopulation and ageing in rural areas and in the agricultural sector.

Latvia will earmark around 14% of its direct payments budget for coupled income support to support sectors undergoing difficulties. The dairy, bovine, cereals and oilseeds and fruit and vegetable sectors will benefit from it. Latvia also introduced capping of the aid received by farms above a certain size and small- and medium-sized farms will receive a redistributive payment. Latvia’s Plan sets high targets for environmental and climate actions. Focus will be put on climate change mitigation, pollution reduction, biodiversity conservation and sustainable forestry. For example, over 70% of the utilised agricultural area will benefit from practices protecting and improving soil quality. By 2027, 18.8% of Latvia’s agricultural land will be cultivated organically. Latvia has prioritised the improvement of its knowledge and innovation system in the agricultural sector with 23 000 persons receiving advice and training supported by the CAP.

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.

Estonia and Latvia submitted their first CAP Strategic Plan proposals on 2 and 18 January respectively, after consultation with stakeholders. They then sent their reviewed proposals, addressing the Commission’s observations, on 21 October for Estonia, and 20 October for Latvia.

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 Plans of Estonia and Latvia

The CAP 2023-27

CAP Strategic Plans

Observation letters on CAP Strategic Plans

Details

Publication date
11 November 2022
Author
Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development
Location
Brussels

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