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4.16. Member States will have to allocate at least 25% of total allocations for direct payments to "eco-schemes". [21] Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 spells out that member States are to define such voluntary schemes covering at least two objectives spelled out in Article 31, which would go beyond Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAECs), conditions set by Union or national law, or other conditionality already contained in the Regulation. Farmers committing to adhere to agricultural practices defined in these schemes related to climate and the environment, public and plant health, and animal welfare would then be eligible for a payment on all eligible hectares.
[21] This share can be lower if allocations under the regional (rural) development programmes exceed the minimum allocation to environmental and climate objectives (35%).

4.17. (...) Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 outlines the allowed types of measures to support certain sectors in Chapter III of Title III and makes certain adjustments to the lists of previously allowed measures, in particular adding types of measures linked to the environment, animal welfare, or climate objectives. (...)

4.19. Support for rural development previously regulated in Regulation (EU) 1305/2013 is fully incorporated into the revised framework and described in Regulation (EU) 2021/2115, with member States having to spell out planned measures in their CSPs [the Common Agricultural Policy strategic plans] instead of rural development programmes (RDPs). Support may cover a number of additional or restructured areas, including, inter alia, (i) voluntary management commitments beneficial for the environment, climate, and animal welfare; (ii) support for on-farm investments; (iii) support to young and new farmers; (iv) support to farmers facing natural or other area-specific constraints or disadvantages resulting from certain mandatory requirements (consolidating the schemes previously part of direct payments and those under rural development); (v) risk management; or (vi) knowledge dissemination (Chapter IV). At least 30% of funding for each RDP must be dedicated to measures relevant for the environment and climate change. Generally, according to the Commission, support will be more closely linked to environmental and climate objectives of the European Union. For the period 2023 27, the annual foreseen contribution from the EU budget amounts to EUR 12.1 billion (Table 4.2).

4.21. (...) In their CSPs [the Common Agricultural Policy strategic plans], member States also have to define the two conditionality systems (regarding the environment, public and plant health, and animal welfare, as well as regarding working and employment conditions or employer obligations).

4.32. Until 2020 and during the transition period, member States still had to allocate 30% of their national ceilings annually for direct payments for "agricultural practices beneficial for the climate and the environment" (greening). These funds were disbursed to farmers entitled to a payment under the BPS [the Basic Payment Scheme] or the SAPS [the Single Area Payment Scheme] and which observed, on all their eligible hectares, either certain specific practices or "equivalent practices" (in seven member States during 2020). The specific practices related to crop diversification, maintenance of existing permanent grassland, and having an ecological focus area (EFA) on at least 5% of arable land for holdings with more than 15 ha of arable land.

4.33. During this transition period, certain previously existing exemptions to these practices continued to apply for participants in the small farmer scheme and farmers with a large proportion of permanent grassland, while farmers meeting requirements for organic production are entitled ipso facto to this payment. (...)

4.50. Support in the European Union via operational programmes in the fruits and vegetables sector in 2020 stood at EUR 1.7 billion, an increase of 11% compared to the average for the period 2015-19, primarily directed to investments, quality schemes, and environmental measures.

4.54. As a response to market disturbances resulting from the war in Ukraine, the Commission allocated EUR 500 million (EUR 350 million of which from the reserve for crises in the agricultural sector). Aiming to improve food security, member States were allowed to support farmers pursuing either (...) (iv) environmental and climate friendly production methods, with payments to be made by 30 September 2022. (...)

4.57. The new basic Regulation (EU) 2018/848 on organic production and labelling described in the previous Review has applied since the beginning of 2022, one year later than initially anticipated. The Commission published a regulation containing lists of authorized products and substances for, inter alia, (...) (v) products for cleaning and disinfection; (vi) various food additives, other processing aids, or ingredients; and (vii) products and substances for use in organic production of wine. The Regulation allows for certain flexibilities regarding the temporary authorization of using non-organic or non-authorized substances in organic production in third countries. (...)

4.60. (...) While regional development aims to support sustainable rural development throughout the European Union, interventions also directly affect the agricultural sector. (...)