EU relaxes farm decarbonization rules amid widespread protests
In a landmark decision, the Council of the EU has relaxed several stringent agricultural regulations under the Common Agricultural Policy, ditching the contentious requirement initially driven by the European Green Deal. This move, part of a broader effort to balance agricultural needs and the EU's 2050 climate neutrality ambitions, comes as a response to extensive protests by farmers and will take effect by the end of May.
On Monday, EU countries in the Council of the EU officially adopted the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) changes. These changes aim to ease some of the decarbonization requirements in agriculture. Notably, among other adjustments, the requirement for fallowing, initially proposed by the European Green Deal, will no longer be applied.
The modifications targeted two CAP regulations and were suggested by the European Commission in mid-March, responding to widespread protests from farmers across many European countries against the European Green Deal.
These reforms are part of a legislative package aiming for the EU to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. This ambitious goal involves reducing emissions across several sectors, including agriculture.
Exemptions from Controls and Penalties
Under the newly approved regulations, farmers will not be forced to designate a minimum portion of their arable land for non-productive purposes, such as leaving it fallow.
Moreover, smaller farms, specifically those less than 25 acres in size, will not face controls and penalties for failing to adhere to the CAP regulations.
The European Parliament nodded to these amendments on April 24 during its final session, making the Council of the EU's decision the final step in the legislative journey. The changes are slated to be implemented the day after their publication in the Official Journal of the EU, expected by the end of May.
