Libertas Reports – EU proposals for CAP simplification: A step forward or just more red tape?

Author: Maria Wall

The European Commission’s new proposal to simplify the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is being viewed as a response to growing frustration from farmers across the EU. After months of mass protests and criticism over red tape, the Commission’s new plan focuses on cutting bureaucracy, reducing inspection burdens, and granting more flexibility to member states in implementing CAP requirements. These measures also come amid wider calls to rebalance the policy so that it supports farming livelihoods while maintaining progress on environmental and climate objectives.

Farmers have long expressed concern that the current system, especially since the 2023 reforms, imposes complex and rigid requirements that are increasingly out of step with the realities of farming. Environmental conditions tied to CAP subsidies, such as the enforcement of Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAECs) and eco-schemes, have been seen by many in the farming community as overly prescriptive and difficult to comply with, particularly for small and medium-sized farms. The simplification proposal aims to address these concerns by reducing administrative oversight for minor infractions, expanding the use of digital monitoring tools to replace some on-the-ground inspections, and allowing temporary exemptions to environmental rules in the event of extreme weather such as drought or market instability.

National discretion also plays a key role in the Commission’s new approach. Under the proposal, member states would have greater influence in defining and applying certain GAEC standards, essentially tailoring them for local needs. This move has been welcomed by several national governments, especially those with diverse agricultural landscapes, who argue that more flexibility at the national level can lead to more realistic implementation without compromising overarching EU goals.

Among the political voices supporting the reforms is Barry Cowen MEP, a member of the European Parliament’s Agriculture and Rural Development Committee. Speaking on the matter, Cowen said the EU was “finally recognising the reality on the ground,” and that farmers have been “drowned in paperwork while trying to meet expectations that often ignore seasonal and regional challenges.” He also points out that most farmers are willing participants in the green transition but that policies must reward rather than punish their efforts. In earlier remarks, Cowen also proposed a third voluntary environmental pillar within the CAP to provide more targeted incentives for sustainability, rather than relying solely on penalties and complex compliance rules.

The reforms have received broad support from farming unions in the EU, including Copa-Cogeca, though many stress that the national implementation will be key. The simplification proposals are not automatic changes, they will rely on how each member state chooses to apply the new flexibility and to what extent they continue to support sustainable practices while easing administrative load. Some farmer organisations remain cautious, noting that past CAP reforms have promised relief but led to further confusion or inconsistent enforcement at national level.

Environmental advocacy groups, meanwhile, have expressed concern that relaxing conditionalities and inspection standards could undermine the CAP’s contribution to the European Green Deal. They argue that while simplification is important, it must not come at the expense of transparency or climate commitments. The European Environmental Bureau warned that the proposal risks diluting the environmental core of the CAP if not tightly managed, especially if national exemptions are granted too easily or without oversight.

The Commission, however, maintains that the simplification package is not a weakening of the CAP’s climate ambition but rather a strategic adjustment to make it more achievable keeping farmers' livelihoods in mind. Officials argue that encouraging compliance through better tools, fewer burdens, and clearer rules is more effective in the long term than rigid enforcement that alienates the agricultural community. The proposal also includes a push for expanded digitalisation in CAP administration, including satellite-based land monitoring and automatic cross-checking systems to streamline claims processing and reduce the need for manual paperwork.

The legislative process is now moving forward in both the European Parliament and the Council, where negotiations could reshape parts of the proposal before final adoption. If agreed upon, the simplified rules are expected to take effect in the 2026 claim year. EU auditors are also expected to review the changes to ensure accountability and cost-effectiveness in the use of CAP funds, particularly given past concerns about value-for-money and policy outcomes.

The debate over CAP simplification reflects broader tensions within EU policymaking, how to balance food security, economic viability, and environmental ambition. While the Commission’s move marks a political acknowledgment of the pressures facing Europe’s farming communities, the outcome of the legislative process will determine whether these proposals represent genuine relief or simply a new version of the same complexity under different terms.

For now, many in the agricultural sector see the proposal as a step in the right direction, though they remain watchful of how much of that promise survives the EU’s legislative process.

*Please note all content reflects the opinions and views of the author alone, not necessarily those of European Liberal Youth