by Gerry Lawson
Gerry Lawson and Pablo Silva attended the DGAGRI on “Direct Payments and Greening” on 5th October. With these CDG meetings the European commission wants to establish a regular dialogue with non-governmental organizations, socioeconomic interest groups, civil society organizations, and trade unions concerning the development and implementation of the common agricultural policy CAP).
Discussion focused on the new management model for the CAP, with its emphasis on:
- strategic planning by Member States to meet high-level objectives set at an EU level and specific targets set in national “CAP Strategic Plans”
- “enhanced conditionality” including new elements for a minimum area of “landscape features and non productive areas” (GAEC 9) and “Farm Sustainable Nutrient Tool (FaST)” to predict nutrient needs on all farms and fields;
- plans for new “Ecoschemes” (Pillar I),
- improvements needed in the criteria and indicators used to follow the impact of CAP policy measures,
- technical improvements being implemented in the monitoring of CAP implementation in IACS and LPIS systems (e.g. Sentinels data, drones, geo-tagged photos, EGNOS, Galileo).
A presentation was given by EURAF,giving initial draft ideas for an “Ecoscheme” to enhance tree-based landscape features, and agroforestry in all Member States. These ideas are being developed by the EURAF Executive Committee for wider consultation with members.
A full report on this meeting will be circulated to EURAF members, through national delegates, as soon as possible.