France Seeks CAP Rule Relaxation Amid Historic Drought

France is urging the European Commission to activate flexibility mechanisms within the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The nation faces exceptionally challenging conditions for its agricultural sector due to a persistent drought affecting nearly all regions.

French Minister of Agriculture, Marc Fesneau, called on Brussels to implement "emergency" exceptions. This would prevent farmers from being penalized for failing to meet certain CAP requirements, such as minimum land cover and crop rotation, due to extreme weather. Many farmers have been unable to sow crops or have seen their harvests fail because of the lack of rainfall and high temperatures.

The French Ministry of Agriculture stressed that farmers should not face a "double penalty" – suffering the consequences of the climate crisis and administrative sanctions. The situation is described as particularly alarming, with 98 out of 101 French departments under drought restrictions, and 57 at the highest alert level, imposing strict water usage limits for agricultural, industrial, and domestic purposes.

In response, the ministry announced the formation of a crisis management team. It also requested prefects nationwide to establish similar monitoring mechanisms to accurately assess damage and develop targeted support measures. Paris is preparing a comprehensive aid plan, including emergency financial assistance, insurance contribution exemptions, simplified administrative procedures, and temporary regulatory deviations to help affected farms recover.

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Farmers must not be doubly punished: by the climate crisis on one hand, and by administrative sanctions on the other.