EU lawmakers reach provisional deal to simplify Common Agricultural Policy

Lawmakers in the European Union (EU) have reached a provisional agreement to simplify the bloc’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), Olive Oil Times wrote. The move would reduce on-the-spot checks, increase payments for small-scale farmers and relax environmental requirements, the 17 November report said. Aimed at saving farmers up to €1.6bn (US$1.85bn)/year, some farm groups have claimed the deal – known as Omnibus III – fell short of delivering a meaningful overhaul of the CAP, the report said. The updated framework would also benefit organic-certified producers, as their certification would automatically fulfil several CAP environmental and farming obligations, Olive Oil Times wrote. In addition, the package preserved existing provisions enabling member states to deliver crisis payments to farmers affected by severe weather events or natural disasters. Introduced by the European Commission (EC) in May 2025, the proposal was negotiated over several months between the European ...