CAP Reform Proposals for Small and Semi-subsistence Farms

Assessing the ‘new’ CAP after 2013 reveals some positive developments encouraging MAs (Managing Authorities) to recognise the particular characteristics of small and SSFs, in designing and implementing appropriate policy options. Because Pillar I aid is unavoidably linked to scale and many small farms cannot or do not claim it, the financial impact of Pillar I on small and SSFs will remain modest. Nevertheless, more options exist for increasing this impact through explicit or implicit tailoring, where Member States so choose. The Small Farmers Scheme, in particular, offers benefits by reducing transaction costs. For Pillar II, the new framework offers more scope for funding tailored to the specific needs of small and SSF farms, but there is no guarantee that this will translate into more cost-effective Rural Development Programmes, and there is concern that such developments may be disincentivised by other aspects of the approach. Stronger guidance from the European Commission, as well as support from the European Network for Rural Development, could help Managing Authorities to consider the needs of these farms more fully in Rural Development Programme design. In sum, the ‘new’ CAP offers greater potential to support and enhance the value of Europe's small and SSFs than its predecessor. Ultimately, much depends upon choices made at national or regional levels, given the considerable range of options now available