Agro Napló • 2022. szeptember 16. 11:48
The European Commission today approved the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plans for Austria and Luxembourg. This is the second CAP Strategic Plan approval package after the approval on 31 August of the plans of Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Poland, Portugal and Spain.
The new Common Agricultural Policy, due to enter into force on 1 January 2023, is designed to shape the transition to a sustainable, resilient and modern European agricultural sector. Under the reformed policy, funds will be more evenly distributed among small and medium-sized family farms, as well as young farmers. In addition, farmers will be encouraged to adopt new innovations, from precision farming to agro-ecological production methods. By supporting concrete actions in these and other areas, the new CAP can be the cornerstone of food security and farming communities in the European Union. The CAP will receive funding of EUR 270 billion for the period 2023-2027.
The two plans approved today represent a budget of over EUR 6,2 billion, including EUR 2,1 billion for environmental, climate and eco-schemes. Austrian eco-schemes focus, for example, on soil and water protection, as well as on improving animal welfare, while Luxembourg will support non-productive areas and strips and provide subsidies to farmers that limit their use of pesticides. Both countries will also strongly support organic farming practices. CAP funding in Luxembourg will help to increase the area under organic farming to 20% by 2025. Austria already has one of the highest shares of organic production in the EU. With CAP support, this share will be further increased to 30% of agricultural land.
More information on each plan and the distribution of their CAP budget is available in the ‘at a glance' documents and more information is available online.