EU lawmakers reach provisional deal to simplify Common Agricultural Policy

The move would reduce on-the-spot checks, increase payments for small-scale farmers and relax environmental requirements, the 17 November report said.

Aimed at saving farmers up to €1.6bn (US$1.85bn)/year, some farm groups have claimed the deal – known as Omnibus III – fell short of delivering a meaningful overhaul of the CAP, the report said.

The updated framework would also benefit organic-certified producers, as their certification would automatically fulfil several CAP environmental and farming obligations, Olive Oil Times wrote.

In addition, the package preserved existing provisions enabling member states to deliver crisis payments to farmers affected by severe weather events or natural disasters.

Introduced by the European Commission (EC) in May 2025, the proposal was negotiated over several months between the European Parliament and the Council, the report said.

The deal marks one of the most significant efforts in recent years to simplify EU farm policy, according to the report.

“Today, we took a big step to keep our promise to make EU agricultural rules simpler,” Danish Minister for European Affairs Marie Bjerre, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Council, was quoted as saying following the conclusion of negotiations.

“It has been a priority for the Danish presidency to reduce extra work and get rid of unnecessary rules for farmers and member states.”

Before becoming law, the agreement needed the approval of both co-legislators, the report said.

Farmers across Europe have been calling for simpler CAP procedures and more accessible subsidies for years, according to the report.

In February 2024, producers had marched in Brussels and other major cities to demand policy changes, Olive Oil Times wrote.

However, the new agreement falls short, according to farm groups, who claim that reducing inspections and increasing payments for small farmers are positive steps, but not enough to deliver a meaningful CAP overhaul.

Meanwhile, the EC’s earlier plan to merge agricultural and regional development funds into a single financing instrument had been dropped following strong opposition in the European Parliament, the report said.

Major farmers’ unions had opposed the proposed merger of funds, saying it would weaken the CAP and reduce support for producers in the long-term.

Tags: policy, Common Agricultural Policy, European Union, farmers, payments