Driving sustainable farming: new guidance for CAP 2028–2034

The European Commission has published a new report providing best practices for the design of agri-environmental and climate actions (AECAs) in the view of the CAP post-2027.

This report is intended to support Member States in preparing their future CAP plans by providing concrete recommendations, practical steps and examples on how to design measures that are effective, workable and attractive for farmers.

The report builds on the assessment of the current CAP Strategic Plans (2023-2027). It identifies what has worked in practice, highlights good examples from Member States, and sets out around 20 practical steps to support the design of more effective agri-environmental and climate actions in the next programming period.

A stronger, simpler framework for sustainable farming

Results from the current CAP underline the importance of area-based agri-environmental-climate support. In the EU budget year 2025, around 28% of total public funding under CSP was allocated to eco-schemes and agri-environmental and climate commitments (AECCs).

In terms of coverage:

• eco-schemes applied to more than 60% of EU agricultural area (98.3 million hectares),
• AECCs covered 12% of farmland (19.6 million hectares).

Other estimates show similarly high uptake, with eco-schemes and AECCs covering a majority of EU farmland. This is a significant outcome that confirms that EU agriculture already plays a significant role in environmental protection and climate action and that many farmers are willing to engage in more sustainable practices and systems provided they are rewarded for the efforts made and the risks taken.

Looking ahead, environmental sustainability remains a central priority in the CAP after 2027, with 43% of EU expenditure proposed under the future National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPs) expected to contribute to environmental and climate objectives.

To support this ambition, the future CAP introduces a simpler framework for environmental and climate action: agri-environmental and climate actions (AECAs) as a single instrument, which will merge the current eco-schemes and AECCs. This is intended to simplify the policy framework and improve the effectiveness of support.

The new approach also includes:

• a farm stewardship system, combining protective practices and statutory management requirements;
• support for green investments, both productive and non-productive, to improve resource efficiency and farm competitiveness;
• complementary tools such as advisory services, innovation, digitalisation and cooperation projects to support the transition.

From compensation to incentives

AECAs will reward farmers for adopting environmentally beneficial practices, moving beyond the previous model. The payments by the AECAs don't need any more to be correlated with the additional costs and income foregone of the commitments, thus paving the way for rewarding the environmental services, provided that these payments are compliant with the World Trade Organization 'Green Box' rules. This approach is intended to make the measures more attractive, increase participation, and better support the transition towards sustainable and resilient farming systems.

Drawing on current implementation of CAP Strategic Plans as well as the work carried out by the EU CAP network on green architecture, and relevant literature and research on environmental mainstreaming under the CAP, the report identifies six factors that are key to making future AECAs more effective:

• clear and well-designed practices, combined with adequate incentive payments;
• strong farmer uptake and consistency between interventions;
• targeting measures to regional, environmental and farm-level needs;
• result-based approaches rewarding measurable outcomes;
• collective approaches enabling action at landscape level;
• robust monitoring and control systems ensuring credibility and reliability.

These findings are illustrated with examples from Member States and complemented by practical guidance for designing future measures.

Supporting the next CAP plans

Together, these elements provide a concrete basis for Member States as they prepare their CAP plans for the next programming period 2028-2034.

By building on what has proven effective and how it can be applied in practice, the report supports the development of agri-environmental-climate measures that deliver greater environmental results while remaining accessible and attractive to farmers.

Related links

Best practices for agri-environmental and climate actions within the CAP post-2027

CAP Strategic Plans - Agriculture and rural development

Environmental sustainability - Agriculture and rural development

Sustainable agricultural practices and methods - Agriculture and rural development