Council conclusions on the Simplification of the Common Agriculture Policy

Author (Corporate)
Series Title
Series Details PRES/15/261 (11.05.15)
Publication Date 11/05/2015
Content Type

On 11 May 2015, the Council of the European Union stressed that Common Agriculture Policy simplification should respect the following principles:

+ preserving the policy objectives and the main elements of the reformed CAP, as well as ensuring legal stability for farmers, thus simplification would not lead to deregulation or restricted access to CAP support;

+ not jeopardising the sound financial management of EU funds;

+ focusing on areas where those implementing the CAP as well as its beneficiaries would benefit most in terms of reduced administrative burden e.g. related to information, control and reporting requirements;

+ improving the clarity of legislation and its consistency, particularly between the first and second pillars, where appropriate, as well as between basic acts, Commission acts and Commission guidelines.

Media reported in March 2016 that over 50 NGOs had sent an open letter to European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker demanding a 'fitness check' of the CAP. These NGOs include the European Environmental Bureau, the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), Greenpeace and BirdLife Europe.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2015/05/11-agri-conclusions-simplification-cap/
Related Links
ESO: Background information: Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 11 May 2015 http://www.europeansources.info/record/agriculture-and-fisheries-council-11-may-2015/
EurActiv [Opinion], 15.05.15: Is the CAP simplification exercise 'better regulation'? http://www.euractiv.com/sections/agriculture-food/cap-simplification-exercise-better-regulation-314614
EurActiv, 02.06.15: CAP reform sows seeds of panic among French farmers http://www.euractiv.com/sections/agriculture-food/cap-reform-sows-seeds-panic-among-french-farmers-315030
EurActiv, 20.07.15: Reformers call for new thinking on ways to finance the CAP http://www.euractiv.com/sections/agriculture-food/reformers-call-new-thinking-ways-finance-cap-316437
ESO: Background information: Commission: New CAP will be 'fairer, not simpler, but maybe greener' http://www.europeansources.info/record/commission-new-cap-will-be-fairer-not-simpler-but-maybe-greener/
EurActiv, 22.09.15: Burgeoning results from a greener CAP http://www.euractiv.com/sections/can-new-cap-deliver-sustainability/burgeoning-results-greener-cap-317736
EurActiv, 22.03.16: NGOs urge Commission to review EU’s Common Agricultural Policy http://www.euractiv.com/section/agriculture-food/news/ngos-urge-commission-to-review-eus-common-agricultural-policy/

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