On Tuesday 13 December, the European Commission approved the strategic plan for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) presented by the Netherlands, which represents a total EU budget of more than €4 billion. This includes €1.4 billion for environmental and climate objectives and eco-schemes and €107 million for young farmers.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, was critical of the environmental component of the Netherlands’ strategic plan (see EUROPE 13082/17).
The country’s farmers will receive higher income support per hectare for their first 40 hectares. Each year, €17.5 million will be available to cover the costs of weather insurance to compensate farmers if they lose their crop due to drought or flooding.
The Netherlands will apply strict good agricultural and environmental conditions on more than 96% of its agricultural land. In addition, about €760 million will be used on more than 1.5 million hectares to encourage and help farmers to plant non-productive crops, implement farming practices that protect the soil and reduce the use of nutrients and pesticides. The Commission has approved all strategic plans, and the new CAP will enter into force on 1st January 2023.
You can find more information about the CAP strategic plans here: https://aeur.eu/f/4nb (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)