Fewer checksThe EU wants to save farmers’ documents
Last year’s farmer protests apparently left an impression on Brussels: member states have agreed with the EU Commission on measures to reduce red tape. Funding should also flow more easily.
Farmers in the EU will have to deal with less paperwork in the future. Negotiators from European Union countries and the European Parliament in Brussels agreed to this. Additionally, there will be fewer controls on locations and more funding for small businesses in the future, as announced by the Danish Presidential Council. Denmark currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU countries.
The plan is to provide easier access to funding for organic farming. Farmers must also be given better options to protect themselves from risks. Additionally, member states should be allowed to make payments to farmers in the event of a crisis, such as a natural disaster or extreme weather. This is to ensure that affected farmers can continue their work, he said.
The negotiations are based on a proposal from the EU Commission in May. The aim is to strengthen the competitiveness of European agriculture. According to the authority, simpler EU agricultural funding would allow companies to save up to 1.6 billion euros in expenses annually. The burden on national authorities due to reduced bureaucracy should be reduced by around 200 million euros.
The first step is effective
Last year, following farmers’ protests in several European Union countries, relief measures were provided for farmers. At that time, environmental regulations were relaxed and small companies were freed from control. Farmers have taken to the streets since early 2024 after agricultural subsidies were cut in several countries. Opt-out plans and free trade agreements have also generated discontent, appearing in the form of road blockades and sometimes violent protests.
Member of the European Parliament Stefan Köhler described the agreement as a clear signal regarding the practical suitability of European agricultural policy. “It is important for us that these simplifications are not only decided in Brussels, but also reach farmers directly,” said an agricultural policy spokesperson for the CSU Europe Group.
CDU MP Norbert Lins said that in practice it was clear that the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) regulations were too rigid and onerous. The deputy chairman of the Agriculture Committee added: “We now call on the federal government to fully implement this flexibility obtained at the German level.” The agreement must now be officially accepted by EU countries and the European Parliament.
