Online research between EU farmersin order to simplification of the CAPstarted the European Commission.

This is an essential step in the effort to revise the CAP, showing that the EU has understood the magnitude of the problem in the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy.

The survey will end on 8 April and will ask short and simple questions in all EU languages

You can find the survey at the following link: https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/Public_Consultation_EU_Simplification_2024rs_point_of_view_2024)

Among the questions there are:

· How much time is spent by farmers each year on administrative tasks linked to aid implementation and reporting obligations?

· If they use mobile devices to provide geotagged photos?

· How do they assess the complexity of the different procedures and rules that apply on farms?

· If they used external help to prepare the CAP aid application in 2023?

The Commission’s assessment is that the answers given by the farmers will provide valuable information for understanding their main sources of concern.

THE Minister of Rural Development and Food, Lefteris Avgenakis, in an interview with TRT, answering a related question, he said:

“Light and white smoke are now beginning to be seen. We, in addition to the questionnaire that we will distribute, want as many farmers to participate, to be activated, in the dialogue that is starting.

The community was activated and this is a first success. We are heading as coordinated as possible from the government’s side to the next step, which is the next Council of Ministers on March 26. We ask for the help of all Greek political forces to put pressure on the large European families that belong to them so that they also have support for this effort of ours, i.e. for the demands of the Greek farmers. This is the goal and this is my plea to the other parties.”

As stated in the EU announcement “the research will help to identify the sources of administrative burden and complexity arising from the CAP rules, as well as from other food and agriculture rules, both in relation to their implementation at national level, as well as with the recording and reporting obligations associated with them”.

Preliminary results will be presented by mid-April. At the same time, interviews with farmers’ organizations will be organized to complete the picture.

In its announcement, the EU recalls that since the beginning of the year, it has provided swift and concrete action to ease the pressure that EU farmers are currently under.

On 12 February, the Commission approved the partial derogation from the set-aside rules (GAEC 8) requested by farmers and several Member States.

Ahead of the Council of Agriculture Ministers on 26 February, the Commission sent the Belgian Presidency a series of short- and medium-term actions, as a basis for discussions and joint action with EU countries.

Today’s investigation was among the short-term actions announced, alongside the simplification of some controls and the clarification of the concept of force majeure and exceptional circumstances. These last two points have already been discussed with the Member States.

Finally he points out that by mid-March, the Commission will present further proposals for medium-term actions to be taken, as well as actions to improve the position of farmers in the food supply chain.

It is recalled that Greece has already submitted 19 proposals mainly for technical changes and the Minister of Rural Development and Food Lefteris Avgenakis, in a letter to the parties, the Local Government and all the institutional bodies of the primary sector, requests that they submit additional proposals.