Some measures in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) contribute to a higher level of ambition in terms of biodiversity at Member State level. This is one of the findings from an external report published on Friday 27 March by the European Commission. Another report deals with water-related objectives in the CAP.
The two reports (Evaluation of the impact of the CAP on habitats, landscapes, biodiversity, and Evaluation of the Impact of the CAP on water) may complement the Commission's reflections on the ‘European Green Deal’.
The first report states that “due to the lack of data and the fact that the effects of instruments and measures vary considerably from one Member State to another depending on their implementation choices, it has not been easy to estimate the overall contribution of the CAP to biodiversity and landscapes”. The authors are convinced that “some CAP instruments contribute significantly to biodiversity objectives”, particularly when they preserve semi-natural habitats and support High Nature Value production systems.
The other report notes that cross-compliance contributes to better water management by linking CAP payments to compliance with certain obligations, many of which directly target water.
The reports can be found via the following links: https://bit.ly/3bsPlHg and https://bit.ly/2UqDPqp (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)