Cyprus has secured favourable arrangements in a landmark EU agricultural agreement that will drastically reduce bureaucracy for thousands of small farmers, Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou has announced.
The recent agreement on simplifying the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) between the EU Council, European Commission and European Parliament represents one of the most significant institutional developments in recent years for the European agricultural sector, according to the minister.
The comprehensive simplification package aims to reduce bureaucracy, enhance flexibility and improve the effectiveness of the CAP in practice.
For Cyprus, the agreement is not simply a positive development but a success that offers practical solutions to EU farmers whilst strengthening Cyprus’s role in cooperation with other member states in shaping the final text, the minister said.
The agreement secures provisions that respond to the particularities of Cypriot agriculture—a sector characterised by small and fragmented farms, intense climate pressure and the need for immediate support during crises.
The most important achievement concerns the full exemption of farmers with land under 100 decares from controls and sanctions related to mandatory cultivation obligations.
This arrangement provides real relief for Cyprus, where the majority of farmers have small farms, Panayiotou said. The measure drastically reduces the administrative burden, saves time and resources for the competent authorities and ensures fairer implementation of the CAP in practice for small farms.
The minister also highlighted the Cypriot initiative that led to the exemption of farms up to 300 decares from crop rotation obligations. This change strengthens important sectors, including wheat cultivation, fodder crops and potato farming. Farmers can now adapt their production to market needs without fear of bureaucratic restrictions.
The environmental goals of the CAP continue to be achieved through more targeted tools, according to the ministry.
Particular emphasis was placed on creating a new crisis management tool. Cyprus, together with other Mediterranean states, succeeded in establishing immediate compensation for damage from drought and natural disasters, Panayiotou explained.
The agreement introduces a new type of intervention for immediate compensation of farmers affected by drought, natural disasters, hailstorms and other extreme events, as well as the ability for member states to utilise part of the rural development budget for immediate support.
At a time when the climate crisis is hitting us hard, the ability to utilise part of the rural development budget for immediate support is a crucial tool for protecting our primary sector, the minister noted.
Liquidity boost and organic farming
The minister also referred to two further pillars.
Organic farmers will benefit from automatic compliance and exemption from double controls, speeding up payments. Cyprus actively supported the need for recognition of organic farming as a practice that already incorporates many of the eligibility requirements.
Under the new arrangement, organic farmers are exempted from double controls, reducing the administrative burden and speeding up the assessment and payment process. This represents a substantial facilitation that strengthens the development of organic production in Cyprus.
The agreement permits advances of up to 70% for direct support and 85% for agri-environmental measures, boosting producers’ liquidity during difficult periods. If activated by the member state, this arrangement enhances farmers’ liquidity during critical periods.
Panayiotou clarified that the ministry is already proceeding with the amendment of the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 for the immediate incorporation of these changes.
Cyprus has proved that through targeted interventions and cooperation, it can shape European policies, she said. The goal is a CAP that is more functional, more effective and, above all, more humane for the Cypriot farmer.
The minister concluded that the new simplifications are not merely technical changes but a substantial step towards a more functional, effective and humane CAP—a CAP that supports the Cypriot farmer and strengthens the resilience of the Cypriot countryside. This is the CAP Cyprus wants to have after 2027, the minister said.
Cypriot Presidency priorities
Under the priorities of the Cypriot Presidency, the effort for further CAP simplification continues with the promotion of practical and realistic solutions that reduce bureaucracy, enhance resource absorption and allow farmers to focus on production, innovation and sustainability.
At the same time, the environmental ambition of the CAP will be maintained through simpler, more understandable and applicable requirements that take into account the particularities of member states and individual production systems.
In this context, the Cypriot Presidency will promote a substantial dialogue with member states, the European Commission and stakeholders, aiming for a CAP that is more effective, fairer and more resilient to contemporary challenges, for the benefit of farmers and European food security.