EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT,update

 

Press service European Parliament

Available in       Press release 24-09-2025 AGRI   First vote on simplification of EU agriculture laws       • More flexibility for farmers on keeping land in good agricultural and environmental condition • Crisis payments for farmers affected by natural disasters to be drawn from rural development funds instead of direct payments • Higher maximum amounts to support small farmers   The Agriculture and Rural Development Committee adopted its position on Wednesday on a proposal to simplify the current EU common agricultural policy. In the draft resolution adopted by the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee (AGRI) by 38 votes to 8 and with 2 abstentions, MEPs call for further flexibility and support for farmers in complying with common agricultural policy (CAP) rules. Environmental requirements MEPs backed a series of changes to introduce more flexibility into how farms can abide by the CAP’s environmental rules. More specifically, they agreed that not only farms that are certified as entirely organic, but also farms where only some parts are certified as organic and farms situated in special conservation areas, should be automatically considered as meeting some of the requirements to maintain land in good agricultural and environmental condition (GAEC). To protect the environment and biodiversity, MEPs want to prolong even further the time it takes for grassland to be considered permanent. This is partly to discourage farmers from ploughing it, for arable use, just before the end of the period. The proposal is to expand the definition of permanent grassland to include land that has not been included in the crop rotation and has not been ploughed, tilled or reseeded for at least seven years, or land that was not classified as arable as of 1 January 2023. Crisis payments The AGRI Committee is against the proposed new type of direct payment for farmers who have been affected by natural disasters. However, the MEPs agree with the new crisis payment under rural development funds proposed by the Commission, and add animal disease outbreaks to the list of events whose impact on farmers could justify such aid. The adopted text also proposes to lower the threshold of average annual production or income in losses, from at least 20%, proposed by the Commission, to at least 15%, so that more farmers are eligible for national financial contributions to premiums for insurance schemes or to mutual funds. Small farmers and changes to strategic plans MEPs propose to increase maximum limits for the support of small farmers: an annual payment to up to €5,000 (rather than the proposed €2,500) and a new one-off payment for business development up to €75,000. MEPs also want to shorten the time the Commission would have to approve member states’ requests to make strategic amendments to national strategic plans, from three to two months. Quote Rapporteur André Rodrigues (S&D, PT) said: “This report is an important step that farmers across Europe have long been waiting for. By cutting red tape and making the CAP rules clearer and more workable, we are delivering solutions that allow farmers to do what they do best – produce – and that can support the sector in these turbulent times. This will help farmers and, in turn, hopefully also enable consumers to continue to access quality, safe and more affordable products.” Next steps The report adopted by AGRI is expected to be put to a vote during the 6 - 9 October plenary session. Talks with member states are set to start immediately afterwards, to potentially enable the final adoption of the new rules during a November plenary session. Background The Commission presented a simplification package of the current CAP on 14 May 2025. This flowed from recommendations from the strategic dialogue on the future of agriculture, which called for simplification to alleviate excessive administrative reporting and regulatory burdens on farmers and other agri-food actors. The AGRI Committee used a simplified procedure where MEPs tabled amendments directly to the Commission proposal. Further information  Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development  Procedure file  Legislative train  EP Research Service briefing on CAP simplification package: Omnibus on Agriculture Press release 25-09-2025 IMCO   MEPs push for new legislative framework that supports the digital and green transition       • New legal framework update must boost the sustainable business model • Digital product passport should be extended gradually for all products • New EU product laws should align with other EU initiatives, such as ecodesign, the right to repair, and the Waste Framework Directive Internal Market Committee MEPs call for more coherence in EU product legislation to respond to evolving consumer needs, environmental priorities and market challenges. Adopted on Thursday, by 39 votes in favour, 1 against and with 3 abstentions, the Internal Market Committee report proposes revisions to the EU's new legislative framework (NLF) for products, to support the digital and sustainable transition. The emphasis is on promoting sustainable business models and consumption patterns, with a focus on the circular economy. The report calls for harmonised definitions and certification for refurbishers and repairers. Transparent information for consumers and authorities The digital product passport (DPP) is seen as a central tool that can transform product compliance and market surveillance, by streamlining information requirements, enhancing transparency and traceability, and increasing coherence across the single market. Through the NLF revision, MEPs suggest gradually introducing the DPP for all relevant products, including second-hand items, as well as replacing existing declarations of conformity and using it to integrate CE marking information. Durability and sustainable consumption MEPs strongly believe that durability is pivotal in promoting high-quality, long-lasting products. In line with the Ecodesign Regulation, under the NLF manufacturers should be required to ensure the availability of spare parts and maintenance services over an extended period, depending on product categories. right to repair and the Waste Framework Directive) to encourage consumers to transition away from unsustainable consumption patterns, MEPs argue. They also call on the Commission to address the risks and challenges associated with fast-fashion and ultra-fast fashion business models, including more robust conformity assessments and enhanced enforcement tools. Legal certainty for circular economy actors The report calls for harmonised definitions for ‘remanufacturers’, ‘refurbishers’, ‘repairers’ and other emerging social and economic actors, to prevent their erroneous classification as manufacturers or importers and to remove the risk of sanctions for non-compliance. MEPs see the DPP as a tool that can bridge information gaps for these actors, giving them access to the relevant compliance and safety information necessary to restore products. They also propose EU-wide certification for refurbishers and repairers, to enhance consumer trust in second-hand products and boost job creation in the sector. Market surveillance, standardisation and conformity assessment The report stresses the importance of effective and consistent implementation of the Market Surveillance Regulation for the NLF. It calls for stronger operational capacity and coordination of national and EU authorities and invites the Commission to consider establishing an EU Market Surveillance Authority. It also addresses the importance of standardisation and conformity assessments, aiming for greater transparency, efficiency, and consistency across member states. Quote The rapporteur David Cormand (Greens/EFA, France) said: “Three of the five chapters of the report we just adopted put sustainability, consumer rights, and the circular economy at the heart of EU product rules: the digital product passport ensures clear information on durability, repairability, recyclability, and energy use; strict measures target fast and ultra-fast fashion; and repairers, refurbishers, and second-hand markets are supported with fair rules and EU-wide certification. The report also strengthens corporate accountability and market surveillance, ensuring safer, greener products for all Europeans." Background Adopted in 2008, the new legislative framework was designed to improve the internal market for goods by strengthening rules for placing products on the EU market. It introduced measures to improve market surveillance, boost the quality of conformity assessments, clarify CE marking and create a toolbox for product legislation. The 2020 evaluation of the NLF found it effective in reducing divergences and making rules clearer for stakeholders. However, it recommended exploring updates to address challenges of digitalisation and complex value chains, facilitate remanufacturing and high-quality recycling, and introduce innovations such as a digital product passport and digital CE marking. Further information  Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection  Procedure file  Adopted compromise amendments     This message was sent to v.ch.maria@gmail.com