Implementation of Eco‐schemes in Fifteen European Union Member States

Abstract

SummaryEco‐schemes are set to play an important role in the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post‐2022 for the delivery of environmental and climate benefits and enhanced animal welfare. This article surveys current plans for the design of eco‐schemes in fifteen European Union Member States. The number of eco‐scheme measures to be offered per country varies between 3 and 21, and the complexity and level of ambition of the individual measures are quite heterogeneous. The majority of the proposed eco‐scheme measures either build upon components from greening obligations or stem from agri‐environmental and climate schemes currently offered under Pillar 2. All fifteen Member States address Green Deal targets, with particular emphasis being given to biodiversity enhancement and non‐productive land. Eight of the countries surveyed are planning to provide support for organic farming through an eco‐scheme. The greater creative freedom offered by the CAP’s New Delivery Model has resulted in a situation where similar measures are programmed as eco‐schemes in some countries and as Pillar 2 measures in others. By adding yet another policy instrument to the CAP’s toolbox, the complexity of the CAP is vastly increased. It remains to be seen how farmers will respond.

European agricultural soil management: Towards climate‐smart and sustainability, knowledge needs and research approaches

“…Also the ECA (European Court of Auditors) reported that in the two last CAP periods (2014–2020), the CO 2 emissions originating from the farming sector have not been curbed, despite expenditures beyond €100 million attributed to climate action (ECA, 2021). For example, (i) the rural development programme is still applied to improve drainage systems, although it is known to further degrade farmland (Thorsøe et al, 2022); (ii) the installation of drip irrigation on sloping land is still subsidized while this induces massive erosion problems (Hondebrink et al, 2017); and soil degradation (Puy et al, 2017) and (iii) the proposed eco‐schemes under the forthcoming CAP strategic plans will likely be insufficient to alter the course for European farmers (Hasler et al, 2022; Runge et al, 2022). Therefore, developing novel payment schemes facilitating behavioural change and perception of the farmers in a co‐creative way is essential, as the uptake of sustainable practices is much more efficient if the farmers agree to the management change (Cerdà et al, 2019).…”

Using farmers' ex ante preferences to design agri‐environmental contracts: A systematic review

“…Within the EU's Common Agricultural Policy, there are ongoing debates and revisions with respect to restructuring the budgetary allocations and thus the conditions under which payments are issued (Runge et al., 2022). The post‐2020 CAP reform seeks to provide farm income support, conditional on respecting specific environmental standards.…”

Europe's ambitious pesticide policy and its impact on agriculture and food systems

“…Both price premiums and agri-environmental schemes can compensate farmers for adopting low pesticide use practices and the associated changes in yields, costs, and risks. For example, Germany and Switzerland have introduced agri-environmental schemes that compensate farmers for reducing or avoiding pesticide use (Mack et al, 2023;Runge et al, 2022). In view of all these factors, the overall impact on farm incomes is unclear and is likely to be farm-specific.…”