The European Commission presented today its proposals for reducing the administrative burden on farmers.

Fulfilling the commitment he made President Ursula von der Leyen at the February 1st European Council, the Commission has today sent a letter to the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU outlining the first possible actions to reduce the administrative burden on farmers. The document will be discussed at the Council of Agriculture Ministers on February 26 in Brussels. On the same day, farmers are expected to organize new demonstrations in the European capital, protesting among other things the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

According to the Commission’s announcement, a series of short- and medium-term actions are proposed that will serve as a basis for discussion and joint action with EU countries. “The implementation model of the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), based on the CAP strategic plans decided and implemented at national level, it is already a step forward in terms of simplification and subsidiarity compared to the previous period,” the Commission says. Member States play a key role in maintaining a limited and proportionate administrative burden on farmers to achieve the objectives of EU legislation. This is why any successful simplification process must be carried out in close cooperation with national administrations and the farmers themselves.

In this light, the Commission will launch in March an online survey aimed at farmers. This targeted consultation will help to identify their main sources of concern and to understand the sources of administrative burden and complexity arising from the CAP rules, as well as other EU food and agriculture rules in the EU, and their implementation in national level. This survey will already provide a clearer picture of the main administrative obstacles faced by farmers in the summer. Its results will be included in a more detailed analysis to be published in autumn 2024.