Press release
McConalogue confirms European Commission adoption of Ireland’s draft CAP Strategic Plan 2023 - 2027
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, has confirmed that Ireland’s draft CAP Strategic Plan was formally adopted by the European Commission at the College of Commissioners meeting on Wednesday morning.
Minister McConalogue said:
“I am pleased to confirm that the European Commission has this morning formally adopted Ireland’s draft CAP Strategic Plan for the period 2023 - 2027 . This is another important milestone in the finalisation of the Plan. In particular, this will give clarity to farmers to help plan ahead over the next decade.”
The Minister also emphasised that further steps remain before the Plan is finally approved by Government.
He said:
"While today's earlier than expected adoption by the Commission is welcome, there remain a couple of further steps to undertake. The first of these is for my department to finalise the Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment, taking account of the changes made to the draft Plan over the course of the engagement with the Commission in recent months. This work is well advanced, and when completed, I will then bring the adopted CAP Strategic Plan and environmental assessments to Government for final approval."
The draft CAP Strategic Plan was resubmitted to the European Commission in early August 2022, and preliminary information about the proposed implementation, opening dates and other details for new schemes for the period 2023 - 2027 has begun to issue to farmers. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is also developing the administrative and IT systems to ensure that schemes can launch according to the necessary schedule, and in order to provide a smooth transition between CAP periods.
Concluding, the Minister said:
"The final CAP Strategic Plan will meet the twin objectives of ensuring the continued viability of family farms and maximising the environmental and social sustainability of the sector.
"It is the outcome of a long collaborative process with all stakeholders and demonstrates the commitment of my officials and the European Commission to develop a plan that will ensure the economic, environmental and social sustainability of the sector for the next five years.
"This is a farmer-friendly and well funded CAP. The funding allocation of almost €10 billion also underlines the commitment of this government to farmers, and to the wider rural economy.”
The draft CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) is subject to assessment by the European Commission to ensure that it meets the economic, social and environmental objectives set out in the relevant EU legislation. The Plan will commence from 1 January 2023.
While the Commission adoption of Ireland’s CSP is an important step in the process, there are environmental assessments that must now be completed before the CSP can be considered finalised. The complete CSP and environmental assessments will then be brought to Government for approval, after which the plan is legally approved having completed all EU and national legal and administrative processes.
Under the CAP Strategic Plan Regulation 2115/2021, in addition to approval from the European Commission, Member States are also required to carry out ex-ante evaluation, Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), and (if required) an Appropriate Assessment (AA) of their CSP. The SEA and AA must be carried out on the full CSP, including on the amendments that were made following the Commission’s observations letter. The legislative basis for these assessments is set out in EU Directive 2001/42 and EU Directive 92/43, as well as in Irish legislation through S.I. No 435 of 2004, and S.I. No 477/2011.
Independent consultants (RSM Ireland) have already carried out extensive and detailed environmental assessments (SEA and AA) of the draft CSP as submitted in December 2021. However, changes were made to the draft CSP in response to the Commission’s observations letter. The consultants are currently evaluating these changes with a view to updating the assessments, where deemed necessary. Until this work is concluded, the CSP cannot be formally approved by Government – even if Commission adoption has taken place.
The full updated draft CSP is uploaded at www.gov.ie/CAP and available now, along with a summary booklet, an overview of the changes made to the CAP Strategic Plan arising from the discussions on the observation letter received from the European Commission on 31 March 2022, and other information.