Commission declaration gives in to Parliament's demands to weaken CAP greening

The European Commission’s special declaration on the CAP reform delegated acts adopted today is another drawback to satisfy the demand of the Parliament negotiators for a weaker greening. The decision will result in the cultivation of more nitrogen fixing crops on ecological focus areas without limiting the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilisers.

However both EU and national decision makers still have the power to reject business as usual and steer the implementation of the CAP towards a more sustainable path.

IFOAM EU therefore calls on national and regional authorities to carefully consider how the implementation of the CAP can support a new agro-ecology agenda.

"The new EU Organic Action Plan must be used to build Rural Development Programmes which support the expansion of organic farming with a comprehensive package of measures, including support payments for conversion and maintenance to organic production, agri-environment-climate, investments and knowledge transfer and innovation." states Marco Schlüter, IFOAM EU Director. "It must also be ensured that Pillar 1 greening moves all farming towards more sustainability - for example by prohibiting the use of synthetic fertilisers on ecological focus areas. Greening, however, can only be a basis to build a more sustainable CAP. Therefore any attempt to undermine pillar 2 support for organic farming and other agro ecological approaches, that are making a genuine contribution to sustainability, must be stopped."

Please visit www.ifoam-eu.org for more information.