Can the CAP and carbon farming coexist? Analysis Carbon farming is the new hype in agriculture. A proposal for a Certification Framework of Carbon Removals was proposed back in November 2022 by the European Commission and there is a strong push by the Swedish EU Council Presidency and the French government to make it happen quickly. But can a Europe-wide carbon farming program coexist with the CAP? In this article, ARC2020 explores the similarities and contradictions between the two. By Mathieu Willard
Are we ready to amend the CAP Strategic Plans to Fit For 55? Analysis Although the CAP Strategic Plans have been approved and are now being implemented, they are not closed files. Once a year, amendments can be proposed by Member States and, under specific conditions, other adaptations can be required. Recent readjustments of targets for climate mitigation in different legislations to meet the ambition of the Fit For 55 package should offer an opportunity to raise the ambition of CAP Strategic Plans on climate action. In this article, we will consider how the CAP Strategic Plans might be amended and, under what circumstances, and assess the potential move forward that the progress on the Fit For 55 package can provide. By Mathieu Willard
The German CAP Strategic Plan: The Ambition has yet to Come Analysis The German CAP Strategic Plan has the potential for an ambitious CAP 2023 to 2027. While the debate on the next CAP post-2027 is already starting, in this article we argue that the German government needs to exploit all potential in the current CAP to increase the ambition towards more climate change mitigation and the protection and enhancement of natural resources and biodiversity. The coalition agreement gives them the mandate to do so. By Aaron Scheid and Sophie Ittner
CAP post-2027: An Integrated Rural and Agricultural Policy – Part 2 Analysis “Rural Europe Takes Action – No more business as usual”, the book published by ARC2020 and Form Synergies in June last year, ended with a mysterious unwritten regulation, the Common Agricultural Policy of the future. Only it is not. It is much broader than that. We called it the European Rural and Agricultural (and Food) Policy (ERAP). So, what is it about and why is it important to talk about it now? Let’s dive into it. This article is the second part of a two-part series. In this first part, we discussed the “why” we urgently need a new CAP. In this second part, we will present our proposal for an integrated Rural and Agricultural Policy. By Mathieu Willard
CAP post-2027: An Integrated Rural and Agricultural Policy – Part 1 Analysis “Rural Europe Takes Action – No more business as usual”, the book published by ARC2020 and Form Synergies in June last year, ended with a mysterious unwritten regulation, the Common Agricultural Policy of the future. Only it is not. It is much broader than that. We called it the European Rural and Agricultural (and Food) Policy (ERAP). So, what is it about and why is it important to talk about it now? Let’s dive into it. This article is divided in two parts. In this first part, we will first assess the why we urgently need a new CAP by looking at how it has performed on its main objectives. By Mathieu Willard
Czech CAP Strategic Plan – Redistributive Payments and the Counter-Productive Tension Between Small and Big Analysis A well designed redistributive payment is an essential tool to reduce inequalities among CAP beneficiaries and farming systems. But as is often the case, the best design strongly depends on national and regional specificities. The Czech Republic’s approach to the redistributive payment is a good example of that. The Czech CAP Stratgic Plan has now been approved by the European Commission. But in the weeks leading to the final approval, Agricultural Associations representing the larger farms of Czech Republic had been strongly protesting against the proposed 23% share of direct payments dedicated to redistributive income support. From the outside, one might think that these demonstrations were aimed at defending the exclusive interests of large farming corporations and landowners. But the reality is not so simple, as the situation could affect small and medium sized farmers as well. In this article, Terezie Daňková, a Czech farmer from South Bohemia, helps us understand the intricate history and structural composition of Czech farming that makes this issue so complex. By Terezie Daňková , Mathieu Willard and Matteo Metta
CAP and e-commerce: are quality schemes protected? Analysis EU agri-food products protected by quality schemes such as geographical indications can face counterfeiting and usurpations in third countries, resulting in significant economic losses for EU producers. The same can happen in the other direction, and with the expansion of e-commerce platforms, these market dynamics have found new avenues to occur. The reform post-2022 of the CAP’s Common Market Organisation has extended the protection of quality schemes’ intellectual property (IP) rights to e-commerce platforms. However, how will this reform be enforced to protect both EU and non-EU producers? Will it establish a level playing field that also protects non-EU quality schemes directly registered in the EU, and those included in the association agreements signed with non-EU countries? By Melina A. Campos
Pesticide Atlas 2022: Facts and figures about toxic chemicals in agriculture Atlas The Pesticide Atlas 2022 is a comprehensive overview of facts and data on toxic chemicals used in agriculture, their impact on biodiversity, the climate, people and planet’s health, and alternative solutions for more sustainable food and farming systems.
Can the CAP Strategic Plans help in reaching our pesticide reduction goals? Analysis In June 2022, the European Commission presented a new regulation on the sustainable use of plant protection products. This regulation is a long awaited response to the insufficient results of the Sustainable Use of Pesticide Directive (SUD) that framed the use of pesticides since 2009. Conclusions from many reports, including a report from the EU Court of Auditors, have shown that there had been very little progress in reducing use and risks for the environment and human health of pesticides. With 75% of food production depending on pollination, the urgency of the situation is alarming and a strong response is needed. Here, we will have a quick look at this regulation and check if the CAP Strategic Plans can provide good tools to help reach the ambition of the text. By Mathieu Willard
CAP Strategic Plans and food security: fallow lands, feeds, and transitioning the livestock industry Analysis Russia's invasion of Ukraine has sparked a debate on food security in Europe. Three months later, the fear of food shortages is still used as a pretext to question environmental goals of the CAP and the European Green Deal more broadly. This article sets things straight on the derogation to allow production on fallow land, analyse the state of grain production and use as feed in Europe, reflect on what it entails for the future of the livestock sector and screen some CAP Strategic Plans and related Observation Letters to see what can be expected in the years to come to achieve coherent food security in Europe. By Mathieu Willard