EU agricultural policy under fire as protesting farmers shake green pledges

Farmers are staging widespread protests across Europe, blocking roads with their tractors and spraying manure in front of public buildings. Although the list of their demands is long, the overall message is clear: they want respect and better pay. 

While France has seen some of the most striking demonstrations, similar actions are taking place across Europe, including in Catalonia. Thousands of Catalan farmers have been protesting for weeks, blocking roads and even bringing Barcelona to a standstill for a day.  

While farmers in each country have their own specific grievances, many issues are shared across Europe. Concerns about rising costs and taxes, excessive red tape, strict environmental regulations, and competition from cheap food imports unite farmers across the continent. 

The EU's agricultural policies are being tested by protests ahead of crucial EU elections in June, which are expected to see a surge in far-right votes. The key question is: can the EU meet its environmental commitments while ensuring that its farmers continue to make a living? 

EU makes concessions on climate policies 

Earlier this month, days after thousands of farmers rallied at the European Parliament in Brussels, Ursula von der Leyen made a major concession to the protesters by shelving a plan to halve pesticide use in agriculture by 2030. 

"The [pesticide] proposal has become a symbol of polarization, [...] our farmers deserve to be listened to," she told the European Commission, warning that "only if we achieve our climate and environmental goals together will farmers be able to continue to make a living."

In another concession to farmers, the EU decided to exempt agriculture from a strict timetable to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040. The ambitious proposal complements the current targets of a 55% reduction in net emissions by 2030 and complete decarbonization by 2050. 

While the European Union has long prided itself as a champion of the environment, recent U-turns on signature policies have spooked environmental groups who fear the bloc's green policies are crumbling under the threat of a surge of conservative and far-right votes. 

Unfair funding: 20% receive 80% of subsidies 

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the EU's oldest and costliest policy, is at the center of the debate. Established in 1957, it is the oldest piece of EU legislation still in force, and it accounts for a third of the EU budget. 

The CAP is a set of subsidies designed to provide EU citizens with affordable, safe and high-quality food and to ensure a fair standard of living for farmers, while promoting environmental protection. 

While intended to safeguard the livelihoods of EU farmers, the CAP has come under scrutiny from farming communities who argue that it is contributing to the decline of small farms. 

Small farmers say they are disproportionately affected by the policy's rigid rules and heavy paperwork required to access subsidies. They also say green policies are unfair and unsustainable for small producers. 

A third of the EU's annual budget is spent on agricultural subsidies, with the current CAP budget for 2023-2027 reaching around €336 billion. 

However, the CAP mainly rewards large producers. According to 2017 data on income support for farmers, around 80% of the EU agricultural budget goes to the largest and wealthiest 20% of farmers. 

The new CAP, in place from 2023 to 2027, was largely updated to reflect the EU's environmental commitments to fight climate change. This approach clashes with farmers and livestock producers, who are calling for a "reduction" in environmental commitments. 

While calls for reform of the CAP are growing within farming communities, experts claim that changing these policies is a complex task and any changes are typically implemented at a slow pace. 

CAP review: EU's latest promise 

To address farmers' dissatisfaction, the European Commission on Friday announced its plan to simplify environmental requirements for farmers seeking CAP subsidies, one of their main demands. 

In addition, Ursula von der Leyen is also exploring the possibility of encouraging member states to review the basic rules of the CAP, with a focus on supporting small farmers. 

One of the measures to be implemented soon will be a reduction in inspections and surveys to better understand farmers' concerns. 

The significant concession comes just 100 days before the crucial EU-wide vote, and its effectiveness in calming the protests will soon be seen. 

To learn more about the farmers' protests, listen to the latest episode of our podcast, Filling the Sink.