PE appoints André Rodrigues as rapporteur for simplification of the PAC

BRUSSELS – The socialist MEP André Rodrigues has been chosen as the rapporteur for the European Parliament’s (EP) position on the proposal to simplify the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), recently presented by the European Commission.
In a statement sent to Lusa, André Rodrigues emphasized the importance of the proposal, “with significant impact for thousands of farmers across the European Union and for the public administrations responsible for implementing the CAP.”
“Our goal is clear: to reduce bureaucracy, facilitate access to support, and give more decision-making power to the Member States, without giving up on the fundamental environmental and social goals of the CAP.”
With the aim of having the new rules come into effect as early as 2026, the MEP will initiate, in the coming days, contacts with national, regional, and European authorities responsible for implementing the CAP, also listening to representative organizations from the agricultural sector and experts in the field.
“My goal is to gather contributions that allow Parliament to play a constructive and influential role in this legislative process,” added the socialist MEP.
The aim is to bring the report to a vote in the EP’s Agriculture Committee in September, the first step before approval in a plenary session.
On May 14, after months of protests from the agricultural sector, the community executive presented a package of measures covering administrative burdens, controls, and the implementation of the CAP, as well as responses to crisis situations and the investment needs of the sector.
The changes could generate savings of up to 1.58 billion euros per year for farmers and 210 million euros for national administrations, simultaneously making payments more flexible and easier to manage, as well as certain crisis requirements and instruments.
The CAP, created in 1962, is the EU’s oldest policy, representing 386.6 billion euros of the multiannual budget for 2021-2027 or about 0.34 euros per day per citizen of the bloc.
The Common Agricultural Policy consists of three parts: direct payments to farmers, measures to stabilize markets, and support for rural areas. (24/06/25)