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Press release
16-12-2025
Plenary session
AGRI
Parliament endorses simpler rules and more support for farmers [17]
More flexibility for farmers for keeping land in good agricultural and environmental condition
Only one farm inspection per year
Higher financial support for small scale farmers
MEPs adopted new rules on Tuesday introducing more flexibility and support for farmers in complying with the EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP).
The preliminary agreement, reached by Parliament and Council negotiators on 10 November 2025 [18], was adopted by 629 votes to 17 and with 16 abstentions.
Support to small farmers*
The co-legislators agreed that small farms can be supported with up to €3,000 of annual financial support, instead of an initial €2,500 proposed by the Commission and an additional new one-off business development payment of up to €75,000, rising from the previously proposed €50,000.
Environmental requirements*
To help preserve biodiversity and spare farmers the expensive and labour-intensive task of ploughing their fields, the new rules ensure land classified as arable as of 1 January 2026 will retain this designation, even if it has not been ploughed, tilled, or reseeded.
Farmers certified as organic will automatically be considered as having met the Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) [19] standards requirements for the parts of their farms that are either already organic or in the process of being converted to organic farming. Member States will be allowed to limit this simplification in case controls would create high administrative burden.
Fewer on-the-spot checks*
Inspections will take place according to the so-called “once only” principle, so farmers will not have to undergo more than one official check on-the-spot in any given year.
Quote*
Rapporteur André Rodrigues (S&D, PT) [20] said: “Farmers need clear rules, less bureaucracy and payments they can rely on. What we approved today proves what we have defended since the beginning: we can have simpler rules and better support, without weakening environmental and social protections.”
Next steps:*
The provisional agreement now needs to be formally approved by the Council. It will enter into force a day after being published in the EU Official Journal.
Further information
[21] scribo-webmail-arrow [48]
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
None [22] scribo-webmail-arrow [49] Latest EPRS document:
None [23] scribo-webmail-arrow [50] EU draft rules on CAP simplification
[24] scribo-webmail-arrow [51]
Video of the plenary debate
[25]
Parliament agrees to simplify agriculture rules © N Felix/peopleimages.com / Adobe Stock
Eliana CAPRETTI
Press Officer
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