European Parliament approves disappointing new CAP

The European Parliament’s Plenary adopted the new CAP (2023-2027) Regulation with 452 votes in favour, 178 votes against, and 57 abstensions.

Organic needs environmentally ambitious national CAP Strategic Plans

The CAP Strategic Plans Regulation leaves much flexibility to Member States, who urgently need to improve the environmental ambition of their national CAP plans and better support organic farming.

Jan Plagge, President of IFOAM Organics Europe, affirms: “The CAP (2023-2027) Regulation approved by the European Parliament will, in itself, not make European agriculture greener. Direct payments are still largely based on hectares and will not prioritise rewarding farming practices delivering most environmental benefits. Member States should ensure that the so-called green architecture, such as ‘Eco-schemes’ and agri-environmental measures, incentivise conventional farmers to implement more sustainable farming practises and properly reward organic farmers for the benefits they deliver to the environment and society, in line with the principle of public money for public goods”.

“Despite the disappointing new CAP Regulation, we cannot afford to waste seven more years”

Disappointing new Regulation

Eduardo Cuoco, Director of IFOAM Organics Europe, adds: “Organic agriculture can contribute to many of the new CAP’s objectives to protect nature, improve animal welfare, empower farmers, and revitalise rural areas. Despite the disappointing new CAP Regulation, we cannot afford to waste seven more years. Member States still have the opportunity to level up the future CAP by drafting more ambitious Strategic Plans to address climate change and the collapse of our biodiversity”.

IFOAM Organics Europe calls on the European Commission to ensure Member States’ CAP Strategic Plans have set appropriate measures and budgets to boost organic production and demand, in line with the EU Action Plan on developing organic farming, during the review phase early 2022.

• Further information at www.organicseurope.bio

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