Commission mulls weakening petland protection requirement for farmers

A group of EU countries is calling to relax rules on mandatory practices to protect peatlands and wetlands under the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), a measure that is currently being considered by the European Commission.

EU delegations including Latvia expressed their support for a derogation on the second “good agricultural and environmental condition” standard (GAEC 2) during a meeting of Agriculture and Fisheries (AGRIFISH) ministers on 29 April. 

The demand comes only days after the European Parliament rubber-stamped an overhaul of six out of the nine environmental requirements farmers must comply with to gain access to EU subsidies.

“At this point,” GAEC 2 “is very unfavourable for farmers,” Latvian Agriculture Minister Armands Krauze told reporters on the sidelines of the AGRIFISH meeting, adding that the requirement was making growers “reduce production”. 

Other countries such as Ireland echoed similar concerns, the Belgian farming minister and the current chair of the AGRIFISH Council David Clarinval said in a press conference after the meeting.

The purpose of GAEC 2 is to protect carbon-rich soils such as wetlands and peatlands,  considered among the most effective carbon sinks, and critical to climate change prevention and mitigation. 

From 2023, European farmers must comply with the nine GAEC standards to receive hectare-based payments under the CAP. However, the EU has eased some of these conditions following a wave of farmer discontent in early 2024. 

Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski said at a press conference after the ministerial meeting that the EU executive intends to decide “quickly” on whether it is possible to simplify GAEC 2 “as much as possible.” 

“We are analysing the possibility to take into account the farmers’ concerns,” he said, adding that, as with GAEC 1, the changes could be proposed through a delegated act.

According to Clarinval, some countries also called for changes to GAEC 4, which aims to limit water pollution by establishing buffer strips along water courses, where certain agricultural activities are prohibited to prevent pesticides from entering the water. 

However, Clarinval said fewer countries were calling for changes to GAEC 4 than to GAEC 2.

The implementation of GAEC 2 could be particularly challenging for peatland-rich countries, notably Ireland, where peat soils cover approximately 21% of the land surface. Dublin has delayed the enforcement of the requirement until January 2025. 

[Edited by Angelo Di Mambro & Chris Powers]

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