Eco and fair? The 28 CAP Strategic Plans

Online-Event on the 27th of March

At the moment we are facing massive and rapid changes of the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) as reactions on the farmers protests all over Europe. The situation in Ukraine remains unsafe and discussions about potential inclusion into the EU shed a new light on CAP debates.

In order to take stock and learn from different implementations within the 28 CAP Strategic Plans (CSPs) across the EU for the current and future CAP, NABU Germany and AbL have held a technical online seminar on March 27th 2024 with moderation by Mia Mancini of Good Food Good Farming GFGF. NABU compiled and evaluated the eco-schemes in relation to the budget share. AbL compared and analyzed different fairness aspects within the direct payments.

How ecological is the CAP? The eco-schemes introduced last year are the central instrument of the CAP's so-called "green architecture" as answer to the nature and climate crisis in the agricultural sector. However, their design varies greatly across Europe. Are the eco-schemes fulfilling their role?

How fair is the CAP? Within the CAP a fairer distribution of direct payments intends to counter the demise of farms and to encourage young people to enter agriculture. However, the member states are implementing these mandatory and volunteer measures to very different extents. Is the EU fulfilling its ambitions?

Both areas are crucial for the sustainable transformation of the agrifood system. Farmers protests across Europe show the need for policy change. How are ecological and social challenges addressed in the 28 CSPs? Where are particularly innovative or exemplary designs? What can we learn from these for the CAP after 2027?

To address this question, NABU has compiled a comprehensive table that lists, categorizes, and connects the budget to all eco-regulations of the 27 member states. Thanks to a search and filter function, it's possible to make statements about individual categories and their funding. The table is available here for download and is intended to encourage further analysis.

• Here you find the comprehensive Overview of eco-schemes
• Here you find the presentation of the analysis of eco-schemes
• Here you find a more detailed report about the analysis of eco-schemes

A central goal of the EU's Farm-to-Fork strategy is to link ecological transformation in a fair manner with economic prospects for female and male farmers. A fairer distribution aims to address social crises such as farm closures and aging demographics. To this end, the CAP includes a range of tools for more equitable distribution of funds or for providing special support to young farmers. But how are these utilized within the EU? And does the EU meet its own standards with these efforts?

• Here you find the comprehensive table – fair distribution
• Here you find the presentation of the comparison – fair distribution
• Here you find an article in critical agrarian report 2024
• Here you find two articles from AbL newspaper