The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) has prepared and submitted amendments to the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy of Latvia (CAP SP) for 2023-2027 to the European Commission (EC) for examination and approval on 31 May. The amendments provide for a review and simplification of the provisions of the existing CAP SP measures.
The changes presented by the EC concern CAP SP measures such as good Agricultural and environmental status (GAEC) standards, eco-schemes, agri-environment interventions and a number of rural development support measures. Some of the changes made to the eco-scheme conditions are related to the reduction of the detailed CAP SP conditions, so that more flexible conditions can be applied at national level if necessary. Changes in rural development measures, on the other hand, envisage improving access to support for small and medium-sized farms by reviewing the increase in aid intensity and rate in certain investment measures, providing for the possibility to purchase second-hand machinery, improvement of financial instruments for access to loans.
These amendments do not provide for the reallocation of funding between measures.
These are the second amendments made to the CAP SP of Latvia. The first amendments were agreed by the EC in September 2023. Amendments to the CAP SP were prepared in cooperation with industry. Earlier this year, several expert working groups took place in which MoA experts discussed and agreed on the necessary changes together with farmers and environmental NGOs. In May, the CAP SP amendments were also aligned with the monitoring Committee of the CAP SP 2023-2027.
Each amendment to the CAP SP is approved by the EC Implementing Decision. In the process of examining amendments, the EC may comment on them and, if necessary, the MoA will prepare additional information.