The European Commission on Friday unveiled plans to allow European Union member states to loosen environmental regulations for farmers, following months of intense protests.
"Agricultural policy adapts to changing realities," said commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a statement on Friday. "The commission will continue to stand steadfastly by our farmers, who maintain EU food security and serve at the front line of our climate and environment action."
Lively protests brought the EU's political centre in Brussels to a standstill in February, as farmers in convoys of tractors protested red tape under the bloc's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The CAP pays subsidies farmers rely on to stay afloat, but payments are conditional on strict environmental protection rules.
The CAP revisions unveiled Friday - which will need the support of EU member states and the European Parliament to become law - would ease rules governing matters such as land use and crop rotation.
Farmers would no longer be obliged to leave parts of their arable land fallow, and member states would be required to offer additional financial support for farmers who voluntarily leave some land unused.
"All EU farmers will be incentivized to maintain non-productive areas beneficial for biodiversity without fearing loss of income," the commission's press release said.
The EU executive is also proposing to loosen rules requiring farmers to rotate the types of crops they grow. Instead, farmers would be permitted to choose between rotating crops and diversifying them.
However, each member state individually would have to authorize diversification for the change to apply in that country.
