Nordic and Baltic countries propose measures for simplification of the Common Agricultural Policy
In support of the ongoing discussion on simplification of the Common Agricultural Policy(Link to another website.) (CAP), the Nordic and Baltic countries Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden introduced a list of simplification proposals for CAP at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 3 April. Consisting of a list of 67 concrete measures with objective to help the farmers’ work and ease the administrative burden, the proposal reflects the principles of subsidiarity, proportionality and sound management.
The main areas of the proposal are:
- A more balanced approach to shared management: less micromanagement, focus on the real risk for the EU budget, higher priority on the objectives of the rules.
- A more risk-based approach to controls: proportionate rules on controls, penalties and audits.
- Reducing the number of layers of rules in the CAP: the plenitude of existing elements such as basic payment scheme, area based rural development schemes, support for investments, greening, cross compliance, crisis reserve, etc. form a highly complex administrative set-up that creates costs and burdens that cannot be motivated by the outcome. This could be simplified and made more uniform.
Read the summary and the full list of proposals in attachments.
Contacts: Kari Valonen, Agricultural Counsellor at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for Finland, tel. +358 29 516 2269, kari.valonen(at)mmm.fi
Summary Simplification of the Common Agricultural Policy
Simplification of the CAP proposal by Nordic and Baltic Countries