Main table

Informations about taxes are quite hard to find:/

In blue: informations from the previous CAP 2007-2013

Country

European Union

AT

Taxes

RDPs: Budgets + conversion and maintenance payments

Remarks, country target/specificity

- Area support payments and organic action plans = most relevant support measures (both in production
and market)
- CAP 2014-2020 total budget: 375,5B (420,7 B for 2007-2013)
- Difficult to distinguish the effects of a single measure on organic sector development; interactions
- CAP for 2014-2020: 2d pillar = Rural Development Programs (RDPs), partially funded
between policies, and their combinations with external fators which are important (competitive approach,
by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
market organisation, communication with farmers, public opinion)
- Under 6 EU priorities, RDPs gather measures for organic farming, agroecological
- Amount of subsidies vary a lot according to farm size and land type (exceptions for Denmark, Finland
practices, sustainable livestock, renewable energies, water, soil and landscapes
and UK)
managment, competitiveness, rural economy, social aspects ...
- In general, the highest payments are for greenhouse crops, vineyards, perrnials/orchids/fruits; the
- Most countries have a national RDP and a few others (France, Germany, Spain, Italy,
lowest are for grasland and arable land. Annual vegetables/herbs are in between
Portugal, UK) have regional RDPs and a National Framework.
- In general, maintenance payments are lower than conversion payments; the countries with the highest
- Environmental taxes (energy, transport, pollution): 5-10% of total - EU RDPs2014-2020 fund : around 161B ( 100B from EAFRD)
conversion payments have also the highest maintenance payments.
taxes incomes in each EU15 MS
- 6,36% are for organic farming (measure n11, M11), 16,6% in agri-environment-climate
- Greening CAP goes with a lot of optionnal measures and possibility for MS to revise downards the
('AEC', Measure n10, M10). These measures are parts of the priority n4 (P4):
ecological objectives.
Restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems related to agriculture and forestry
- Conclusion in 2014: CAP and RDPshave huge potential to support organic farming and agroecology
- Since 2015: Greening the CAPpillar I: 30% of Pillar I (5% more than the previous
in Europe. CAP helps by giving more aids even with a smaller total budget, but still continues to mainly
CAP) goes to farmers implementing greening measures (crop diversification, obligation
support the agri-industrial intensification. Organic is increasing, but there is still no policies to drop
of permanent grassland, ecological focus areas up to 5-7% of the exploitation's surface).
conventional farming
IFOAM members are sceptical about that measure; apparently it is a bad idea but I did
-In many MS, P4 is among the most important priorities (sometimes the most important one), M11
not figured out why yet
(organic farming related measures) exist most of the time but is less funded than M10, which is always
- This include a system of direct payments to farmers
present
- Setting up aids for young farmers in 22 MS

- RDP 2014-2020 budget: 7,8B ( 3,4B from EU)

- 5,15B (66,01%) for P4, including 2,2B (28,40%) for M10 and 784M (10,04%) for
M11
- Conversion payments: from 110 to 4200 /ha

- 20% of agriculture area is organic, 4 National plans in 2011-2013

- aims to have 80% of farmland under contracts for improving biodiversity, water and soil managment,
agri-environment-climate measures ...
- higher grants are given to organic farmers investing in agricultural buildings

Flanders

- RDP 2014 2020budget : 916M ( 384M from EU)

- 223,47M (24,17%) for P4, including 172,25M (18,63%) for M10 and 10,1M
(1,09%) for M11
- Conversion payments(annual and multiannual) : from 300 to 1320 /ha
- Maintenance payments(annual and multiannual) : from 120 to 400/ha

- Measures not in RDP: support for advisory services and for reduction of control cost
- 85% of the allocated amount under P4 is for area-based payments of M10 and M11, targeting 8% of
Flanders' agricultural land
- Payments for conversion dropped from 5 to 3 years, and serious reduction of maintenance payments
(1% of the total)
- higher grants are given to organic farmers investing in agricultural holdings

Wallonia

- RDP 2014-2020budget : 650M ( 247M frome EU)

- 355,4M (54,3%) for P4, including 147,5M (22,5%) for M10 and 100M (15,3%) for
M11 ( 16M conversion 84M maintenance)
- Conversion payments: from 270 to 1050 /ha/year (2 years)
- Maintenance payments: from 120 to 900/ha/year (3 years)

- Measures not retained: Knowledge sharing between stakeholders, agroforestry

- 80 000 ha will receive support of M11
- Aims to have 20% of the agricultural land under contract to stimulate biodiversity, 16% of agricultural
land to improve water management and 14% of agricultural land to improve soil management
- Some payments are cumulative
- Newly established help for organic seeds

- RDP 2014-2020 budget: 2,9B ( 2,4B from EU)

- 984M (34%) for P4, including 215M (7,49%) for M10 and 152M (5,28%) for M11
- Conversion payments: from 82 to 470 /ha
- Maintenance payments:

- Support for conversion are expected to cover 23 000 ha

- 23 000 others ha expected to be under maintenance
- Agri-environment-climate measures will be implemented on 113 000 ha.

Austria

BE

- According to BioSelena, there are no taxation models in Bulgaria

used for promotion of organic farming.
- Minister of public Health is pushing now to introduce a new low of
taxation of Junk food
- Big opposition from the Food industry but also from the Minister
of Agriculture and food

BG

Bulgaria

HR

Croatia

- RDP 2014-2020 total budget : 2,3B ( 2B from EU)

- 658M (28%) for P4, including 112M (4,7%) for M10 and 128M (5,7%)for M11

- Organic payments are 30 % higher than conventional payments. However, organic farmers (like their
conventional colleagues) receive these funds with a great delay of up to two years

CY

Cyprus

- Still undefined - unsure data - RDP budget 2014-2020 is expected to be 132M from EU
- Previous RDP budget (2007-2013): 240M ( 137M from EU)
- Conversion payments: from 380 to 1000 /ha

- Grasslands payments just if used for organic farming

- Applications for some measures (like far modernization) go under a point system, setting the amount of
the grant; organic farmers have extra-points

Page 1

Main table
- RDP 2014-2020 budget : 3,1B ( 2,3B from EU)
- 1,97B (64,3%) for P4, including 905M (29,44% )for M10 and 330M (10,76%) for
M11
- Conversion payments: from 155 to 849 /ha

- 400 000 ha planned for organic farming (conversion or maintenance)

- Aims for a 10% reduction of pesticides in food residues from 2010 to 2020
- Young farmers setting up in organic have extra points than the ones setting up in conventionnal
- Applications for some measures (like far modernization) go under a point system, setting the amount of
the grant; organic farmers have extra-points

CZ Czech Republic

- No specific tax for organic farming

- No higher prices for inputs or pesticides

DK

- Objective of doubling the organic area (12%)

- Only around 80 different active substances are permitted in, compared to 3-400 in many other EU
Member States
- Since 1995, hight taxes on products such as fertilisers and
- Target : 40% pesticide reduction between 2011 and 2015
pesticides (on average 37% of the retail price in 1998) ; only in
- RDP 2014-2020 budget: 860M ( 629M from EU)
- Direct marketing has increased a lot (before 2010, 21% of Austrian farmers are involved in the direct
agriculture, not in forestry. The effect of pesticides consumption is - 576M (67% fro P4, including 189M (21,96%) for M10 and 112M (12,94%) for M11
marketing programme started in 1995)
relatively small (- 15 to 20%)
- Conversion payments: 2 years max (160 /ha/year)
- investment in research, market development, animal welfare
- New tax since 2013 for pesticides environmental and health
- Maintenance payments : 5 years max (116 /ha/year)
- The strongest and most coherent support strategy of the previous PAC
hazards
- Farmers receive a premium for cultivation of seldom species or land varieties or ecotypes
- CAP 2007-2013: only country with Finland to have uniform payments rates across the different land
use categories

Denmark

EE

Estonia

FI

Finland

FR

France

- No specific taxation scheme for Organic farming

- The governments goal is to shift the tax burden from taxation of
income to taxation of consumption, use of natural resources and
pollution of the environment
- With as few exceptions and differences as possible

- RDP 2014-2020 budget: 993M ( 823M from EU)

- 365,6M (36,8%) for P4, including 245M (24,7%) for M10 and 77,7M (7,8%) for
M11
- Conversion payments: from 77 to 350 /ha

- Organic farming support is planned for 14% of farmland

- RDP includes for the first time : water and soil protection measures, support for a large number of local
plant varieties and for environmentally-friendly horticulture, activities related to farmland birds and bees
- Around 70% of farmland will be under agri-environmental commitments
- Support payments granted for arable crops, field vegetables, medicinal and aromatic herbs, fruits and
berries, and grasslands (excluding temporary grassland) where at least 0.2 livestock units are kept per
hectare
- Only organic producers may receive support through Measure 133 (Information and promotion
activities)

- RDP 2014-2020 budget : 8,3B ! (due to hard climate conditions : 1,8B for M13 :
areas facing natural constraints). Focus on P4 ( 5,8B), with 1,5B (19,36%) for M10
and 326M (3,98%) for M11
- Conversion payments: from 39 to 900 /ha

- More than 81% of agricultural land is expected to come under management contracts to improve water
management
- Only country with Denmark to have uniform payments rates across the different land use categories

- Organic areas: up to 6%; non respect temps (2,5% en 2012, 5,34%, 1,1m ha in 2013)
- 9-10 months late with subsidies, 6*< to conventional subsidies.
- 5 years land-tax exemption for organic non-built areas (taken on
- Regional policies
the municiplaity's budget, no State intervention). Way shorter than - 2014-2020: 27 regional RDPs + national framework, programme, network; budget= - Bunch of other aids(additional or not): agro-ecological measures, biocertification aids, aids for
conventional farming (up to 30 years)
equipment... Regional variations, not always specific to organic farming.
13,75B (unsure data) ( 11,38B from EU)
- TVA on pesticides jumped from 5,5 to 20,2% in 2012
- Policy for mass reduction of pesticides use (-50% between 2008 and 2018), but inefficient for now
- 7,8B (56,9%) for P4, including 1,49B (10,81%) for M10 and 668,4M (4,86%) for
- Since 2011, 2500 /year Tax credit for farmers whose incomes
- 2014-2020: first time for agri-environment payments
M11. The main objective is M13 (Areas with natural constraints), which takes 4,94B
are 40% generated by organic farming. Additional with conversion (35,96%) of the budget
- BAD: only 20% of first pillar for greening measures, instead of 30% planned by CAP 2014-2020;
and maitnenance payments if the total is under 4000 /year
France projects to decrease permanent grassland to develop cereals and still allows pesticides on
- Conversion: from 44 to 900 /ha/year, the farmer must engage for 5 years at least
(otherwise, the tax credit is dropped to 1500 ). Twice higher than - Maintenance: from 35 to 600 /ha/year, 5 years long aids, open to additional years
ecological focus areas
in 2005-2008.
- No need to be 100% organic to have subsidies, a part of the exploitation is sufficient
- Additional agro-ecological aids are not cumulative with organic farming aids
- Low budget in research (?)

- 13 regional RDPs + national framework and network programme

- RDPs 2014-2020 budget: 16,9B (unsure data) ( 9,45B from EU) (-9% than
previous RDPs)
- 7,5B (44,42%) for P4, including 2,8B (16,87%)for M10 and 1,6B (9,58%)for M11
- Conversion payments: from 150 to 1080 /ha (4900 for Greenhouse crops in some
regions)

DE

Germany

GR

Greece

- Still undefined - Conversion payments: from 166 to 900 /ha

HR

Hungary

- RDP 2014-2020 budget : 4,2B ( 3,4B from EU)

- 1,2B (28,61%) for P4, including 638M (15,35%) for M10 and 208M (4,99%) for
M11
- Conversion payments: from 48 to 829 /ha

- Combinations of payments are possible

- higher investment grants for organic farming in Bavaria, western Pomerania and North-Rhine
Westphalia
- higher grants for investments for animal welfare in some regions
- Bavaria: projects related to organic food production, processing or marketing receive higher support
rates
- Grasslands payments just if used for organic farming

Page 2

- Numbers are not reliable by themselves (remembering Kishantos)

- 111 000 hectares of farmland are supposed to receive support to convert or maintain organic farming
- Around 11.5% of agricultural land and 6.4% of forests are planned to be under management contracts
for supporting biodiversity or improving water and soil management

Main table

Ireland

- RDP 2014-2020 budget : e 3,92B ( 2,4B from EU)

- 2,9B (73,48%) for P4, including 1,21B (31,05%) for M10 and 56M (1,43%) for
M11
- Conversion payments: from 148 to 198 /ha
- Maintenance payments:

- Support around 50 000 ha of organic farming

- Cover some 20 % of the Irish agricultural land under biodiversity, water, soil, landscapes measures

Italy

- 10,44B from EU
- 3,2B (31,97%) for P4 including 1,3B (12,94%) for M10 and 554M (5,58%) for
M11 (unsure data)
- Conversion payments: from 126 to 3450 /ha/year; (13 to 921 /ha)
- Mainenance payments: from 105 to 3140 /ha/year

- Duration and Budget for Operational Group vary a lot between regions
- In two regions, organic farmers setting up receive higher paiements than conventionnal farmers.

Latvia

- RDP 2014-2020 budget : 1,5B ( 1,08B from EU)

- 575M (39,79%) for P4, including 111M (7,73%) for M10 and 152M (10,52%) for
M11
- Applications for some measures (like far modernization) go under a point system,
setting the amount of the grant; organic farmers have extra-points

P4 is a priority; 14% of the agricultural area is expected to go under contract for biodiversity, 17% for
water management and 17% for soil management

LT

Lithuania

- RDP 2014-2020 budget: 1,97B (1,6B from EU)

- 572M (29%) for P4, including 96M (4,88%) for M10 and 151M (7,62%) for M11
- Conversion payments: from 59 to 534 /ha/year (127 to 516 /ha)
- Maintenance payments: from 59 to 525 /ha/year

- Total budget: -13% than 2007-2013

- Targets: 2 % reduction in maximum residue levels values and 2% increase of land use for organic
between the early 2010s and 2017

LU

Luxembourg

- RDP 2014-2020 budget: 368M

- 236M (64,11%) for P4, including 110M (29,9%) for M10, 7M (1,91%) for M11
- Conversion payments: from 180 to 840 /ha

Aims to have 90% of the agricultural land under contracts to stimulate biodiversity, 28% of agricultural
land to improve the management of water and 11% of agricultural land to improve soil management

MT

Malta

IE

IT

LV

NL

PL

PT

RO

SK

- Still undefined unsure data - RDP 2014-2020 budget: 138M, including 37M for landscape and environment and - Only organic producers may receive support through Measure 133 (Information and promotion
18M for sustainable livestock
activities)
- Conversion payments: from 613 to 1379 /ha

- RDP 2014-2020 budget: 1,3B ( 607M from EU)

- 676M (51,35%) for P4, 406M (30,82%) for M10, nothing for M11

- 53% of P4 is for improving landscapes and water and soil managment, stimulating biodiversity.
- Method : by setting-up an agricultural landscape management scheme
- 2014-2020: first time for agri-environment payments No specific support for organic farming before
(but organic famers had the same payments than conventionnal ones, including agri-environment
payments)

- RDP 2014-2020 budget : 13,5B ( 8,6B from EU)

- 4,16B (30,79%) for P4, including 1,18B (8,76%) for M10 and 700M (5,18%) for
M11
- Conversion payments: from 69 to 408 /ha
- Maintenance payments:

Main target: reduce fertilization and pesticides use, improve sustainable grazing and mowing in habitats
of endangered species

Portugal

Three different RDPs: Continental land, Azores, Madeira

- Continental RDP 2014-2020 : 4,2B ( 3,5B from EU)
- 1,1B (26,21%) for P4, including 477M (11,44%) for M10 and 99M (2,36%) for
M11
- Azores and Madeira RDPs: 340M and 207M ( 295M and 179M from EU),
41,47% and 51,44% for P4, 18,48% and 3,83% for M10, 0,16% and 0,07% for M11
- Conversion payments: from 82 to 972 /ha
- Maintenance payments:

Continental RDP :
- Around 72% of the P4 amount will be used for area-based payments to farmers for using
environment/climate-friendly land management practices, including organic farming
- Aim for 35% of the agricultural area to be under M10 contracts
- Madeira: higher grants are given to organic farmers investing in agricultural holdings

Romania

- RDP 2014-2020 budget: 9,5B ( 8,1B from EU)

- 2,8B (29,7%) for P4, including 1B (11,11%) for M10 and 236M (2,5%) for M11
- Payments are paid via Art. 68 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 73/2009
- Conversion payments: from 293 to 620 /ha/year
- Maintenance payments: from 218 to 479 /ha/year

- 1.3 million hectares of agricultural land (10%) and 800 000 hectares (12%) of forests under M10
- 200 000 hectares of agricultural land are expected to be supported under M11 (conversion/maintenance
aids)

Slovakia

- Targets : 150 000 ha to be supported by organic farming measure, 250 000 ha of agricultural land under
- RDP 2014-2020 budget : 2,1B ( 1,5B from EU)
agri-environmental and climate-related measures
- 896M (43,11%) for P4, including 144M (6,91%) for M10 and 90M (4,33%) for M11
- Applications for some measures (like far modernization) go under a point system, setting the amount of
- Conversion payments: from 112 to 808 /ha
the grant; organic farmers have extra-points

Netherlands

Poland

Page 3

Main table

SI

ES

SE

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden

Whole UK
England

UK

Northern Ireland
Scotland
Wales

- RDP 2014-2020 budget : 1,1B ( 838M from EU)

- 575M (51,95%) for P4, including 204M (18,39%) for M10 and 60M for M11
(5,44%)
- Conversion payments: from 2013 to 579 /ha

- 29 % of farmland will be placed under funded contracts to improve biodiversity, 24% for better water
management and 27 % for improving soil management1 (including through organic farming)
- Financial support to farmers who set up producers groups (not specific to organic)
- Projects related to organic food production, processing or marketing receive higher support rates

- 18 RDPs (1 national, 17 regional) + national framework; 2014-2020 budget: 8,7B

- In three regions, organic farmers setting up receive higher paiements than conventionnal farmers.
(unsure data) ( 8,2B from EU)
- 2,77B for P4 (31,82%), including 1,01B (11,62%) fro M10 and 354,6M (4,07%) for - Catalua gives additional support for organic livestock farmers, aiming to cover additional costs or
income foregone (Measure 215 of CAP 2007-2013)
M11
- Conversion payments: from 57 to 1239 /ha

- RDP 2014-2020 budget : 4,3B (like Finland, big amount for M13 : 975M)
- Focus on P4, with 963M for M10 and 493M for M11
- Conversion payments: from 39 to 830 /ha

- Focus on restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems related to agriculture and forestry
- Expected : 28 % of agricultural land under contract for biodiversity, 33 % for better water management,
35 %for soil management
- 420 000 hectares covered by organic farming measures
- Will to reduce dependency to chemicals
- Grassland : conversion payments only if under organic certification, half-payments for other land types

- Conversion payments: from 5 to 484 /ha

- Low payments but assciated with the 'Environmental Stewardship',which includes additional payments

- RDP 2014-2020 budget : 4,05B ( 3,47B from EU)

- 3,45B (85,1%) for P4, including 2,9B (71,4%) for M10 and 15M (0,37%) for M11

- Aim : protect 2.5M ha of agricultural land through M10

- In Britain, several organic famers have give up
- Previous RDP : no on-going vision

- RDP 2014-2020 budget : 760,1M (228,4 from EU)

- 292M (40,8%) for P4, including 193M (27,12%) for M10 and 3,4M (0,48%) for
M11

- Bring 12% of agricultural land under contract to preserve biodiversity, 8% to improve water
management and 4% to improve soil management

- Conventionnal: exempt from inheritance tax in some conditions

- avoid pesticides tax by trying to minimize environmental damages - RDP 2014-2020 budget : 1,68B ( 844M from EU)
- 817M (48,72%) for P4, including 234,5M (15,77%) for M10 and 15M (0,89%) for
M11
- RDP 2014-2020 budget : 1,13B ( 655,8M from EU)
- 594,5M () for P4, including 286,3M (26,47%) for M10 and 51,76M (4,79%) for
M11

Page 4

- Cover some 20% of the agricultural land and almost 40% of the forest area under M10 contracts
- Protect 700 000 hectares of farmland trhought M10
- Cover 49% of Welsh agriculture under biodiversity and water managment measures

General IFOAM Data

Notes taken at the beginning of the internship: general IFOAM data about States' policies in organic farming Many of these informations are obsolete

Country/ Region

Whole EU

Example

Policies (actual or past)

EU rural development programmes

National action plan

Other policies

- In some countries, the decision to make the transition to organic still

Action Plan at EU level : European Action Plan for Organic Food and
requires farmers and processors to make financial risks
Farming (EOAP, 2004). Focused on EU's Organic Regulation. Limited
- That is because Acion plans are not always fully coherent with others
impact (no national level, no link with the CAP)
policies (like RDPs), or haven't clear goals

Austria

Project from BioAutria : supporting technical innovation in the

production of winter vegetables using non-heated systems
70% co-financed EU and Austria

Bio-Aktionsprogramm 2008 2013

Subsidies since 1991

Flanders

Project by BioForum: promoting co-creative and participative learning

and research between farmers, advisors and researchers. Mainly
provided through the Flemish Department of Agriculture, but also selffinanced by the networks themselves. CCBT

-Strategisch Plan Biologische Landbouw 2013 to 2017 : focuses on

sustainable qualitative and quantitative growth of organic agriculture
and balanced market development.

Wallonia

Plan strategique pour le developpement de lagriculture biologique en

Wallonie a lhorizon 2020.

BG

Bulgaria

Bulgaria had a national action plan for the development of organic

farming for 2007-2013

Compensatory payments under agri-environment schemes have been

available since 2008.

HR

Croatia

Action Plan 2011-2016 was adopted in 2011, targeting use of 8 % of

the total agricultural area for organic production by 2016. Its
implementation is patchy

Organic farming payments have existed since 2005 (and continued with
the entrance in EU)

Funding by the central and regional

governments for certain events

CY

Cyprus

No data

No data

No data

No data

CZ

Czech
Republic

Action plan of the Czech Republic for the development of organic

farming 2011-2015

Support available since 1990-992. Since 2004, provided under the agrienvironmental measures of the EU rural development programme.

Support from the Ministry of Agriculture for

promotional and education event

DK

Denmark

Action Plan for Organic Production 2012-2020: doubling the area used
for organic farming; green transition; appr. 26M in 2012-2013

Subsidies to convert to organic farming, amount to EUR 140 per

hectare annually, during the conversion period

rules for the certification procedure and for the

few areas that are not covered by the EU
legislation
-Farmers can apply for direct payments

EE

Estonia

Estonian organic farming development plan 20142020

Organic farming support payments have been made since 2000; since
2004 these have been part of the rural development agri-environment
support

FI

Finland

Organic Production Development Programme (started in 2013) - get at

least 20 % of the cultivated area farmed organically by the 2020. This
goal has already been surpassed 3 provinces.

Organic farmers in Finland receive support through different rural

development measures.

account for at least one half of overall

production by 2030

FR

France

Silo Bio Ouest project : response to the local needs and storage of
organic grain producers
Fundin : 65% by partners themselves, 35% by local, regional and
national sources, including Ministery of Agriculture

-action plan Ambition Bio 2017: doubling the proportion of land farmed
organically by the end of 2017

-Support for conversion and maintain (no evolution)

-Additional support for farmers organized in communitues who set up
agroecological practices created for competitiveness, not for social
transition

Further policy supportis given for the

promotion of organic farming, food chain
development, and research and extension
services

DE

Germany

National plans since 2002, but passed from 35m to 17m

promoting organic farming since 1989. Since 1994, the federal states,
also agri-environmental programs

GR

Greece

There is no national action plan

The agri-environmental programme, 2009-2014. Not evaluated yet

EU-funded programme to improve food quality

delays, sleeping

HR

Hungary

New National Action Plan expected for 2014

Compensatory payments for organic farming for the period 2009-2013,

funding per hectare

Grants for young farmers

Ireland

Farmers collaboration reduces the vulnerability of organic dairy

farming to fluctuating milk processor prices.
Self-financed by farmers, funded through the Irish RD (national and EU
funds), and local and national agencies

Organic Farming Action Plan 2013 to 2015. The target is to increase

the certified land area to 5 % by 2020

Five-year Organic Farming Scheme, offering funding per hectare

On and off-farm capital grant scheme

AT

BE

IE

Page 5

Austrian Agri-environmental Programme; leading country for organic

farming, in terms of total share of organically managed agricultural
land.

The Flemish and Walloon regions each have their own programmes
(support for investments, assistance in planning the conversion to
organic production...)

General IFOAM Data

IT

Italy

- Organic Farming Action Plan 2013 to 2015. The target is to increase

the certified land area to 5 % by 2020
-promote potential export market
-identify issues which are impeding the growth of the organic sector.

-Direct payments and other types of support are structured in line with
the CAP
-National Strategy Plan (NSP) for rural development
-regional rural development programmes exist

Special financing for research on organic

agriculture at national level (Programmi per la
ricerca in agricoltura biologica)

LV

Latvia

No action plan for organic agriculture

Farmers receive support under the EUs rural development

programme.

LT

Lithuania

No national action plan for organic farming and food

Since 2004, direct payments have been granted under a special

scheme based on EU legislation

Some measures exist for direct sales, research

and consulting

Plan daction national pour la promotion de lagriculture biologique:

2009-2013

Payments are granted under a special organic scheme

The Ministry of Agriculture supports the organic

advisory services and the farmers organisation
Bio-Letzebuerg

No data

No data

No data

No data

Bioconnect: shifting research with a bottom-up approach, involving

farmers and others main stakeholders; information shared more
effectively. Funded by stakeholders themselves, Ministry of agriculture,
RDP (EU and national funds)

no separate policy or action plan for organic agriculture, but general

policies from which organic producers can benefit

Action Plan for Organic Food and Farming for 2011-2014. Targets:
market development, consumer awareness,development of production
technologies

LU Luxembourg
MT

Malta

NL Netherlands

PL

PT

Poland

Portugal

No national organic action plan yet

Dutch organic farmers receive support under the EUs Rural

Development Programme.

payments for organic agriculture and reimbursement of inspection

costs as part of the measure

-some provinces have policies to stimulate

conversion to organic farming

- Area payments for organic farming provided under PRODER. Budget

restrictions since January 2011
PROVE project promoted the start of local box
- Financial support for organic certification was provided until the end of
schemes
2010

RO

Romania

An action plan ran from 2004 to 2008. New one still in construction

First subsidies for organic farming appeared in 2004, but not for
conversion before 2011. Now, subsidies are available through the agrienvironmental measures of the National Rural Development Plan. Less
than expected according to farmers (not enought compensatory
payments).

SK

Slovakia

No data

No data

No data

No data

SI

Slovenia

National Action Plan for Organic Agriculture runs from 2005 to 2015.
Financial resources are provided by the Ministry for Agriculture and the
Environment

Financial support for organic farming 1999. Part of the Rural

Development Programme 2007-2013

National contributions to the EU co-financed

organic promotion campaigns, from 2010 to
2012 and 2013 to 2015

ES

Spain

Sociedad Espaola de Agricultura Ecolgica : parternship between

farmers : farmer to farmer exchange, promoting conversion to organic
farming. Funded by government, RDP (EU+national funds), and other
sources (like a local bank)

- Several organic action plans are being implemented in different

regions. However, most of these plans do not have specific targets.
- rural development measures in most of the region, but considerable
differences

measures have been supported since 1998. There are sometimes

considerable differences between the regions.

activities to promote organic farming

organisations and research

SE

Sweden

UK

United
Kingdom

export strategy

Protein tips project: improve local fodder production, especially protein National goal for 2014: 20 % of agricultural land certified organic, 25 %
Supports activities that contribute to organic production. Programmes
crops as an alternative to soya imports. Collaboration between farmers, of public food procurement to come from organic sources in 2013. No
for 2014 and the coming years have yet to be set up
seeking for autonomy. Partially funded by the RDP
information for post 2014.

- no action plan for the whole of the UK. There has been a Scottish
Action Plan since 2011
- main focus is on agri-environment schemes, are direct payments
- low-level support compared to other EU member states

Some support is available for sector

organisations and research

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largely use EU legislation, with some minor differences

CAP 2007-2013 Analysis

The study giving the following data does not always take into account all EU member states, only examples sometimes
NOT FINISHED YET
Analysis of the CAP 2007-2013 - Source: Use and efficiency of public support measures addressing organic farming; Sanders J., Stolze M., Padel S. ; Institute of Farm Economics; 2011

Top-up grants
Measure
Measure 112: Setting up of young farmers

Axis 1

Measure 121: Modernisation of agricultural

holdings

Country
- The organic bonus varies between 6 % (Baleares) and 16 % (Trento)
- Flanders (Belgium), Madeira (Portugal) North RhineWestphalia (Germany) : higher grants for organic farmers
- Austria : top-up restricted to organic livestock farmers investing in farm buildings
- Czech Republic, Cyprus, Latvia and Slovakia : applications selected on the basis of a point system : extra points for organic farmers

Measure 123: Adding value to agricultural and

forestry products

- Bavaria (Germany) : projects related to organic food production, processing or marketing receive higher support rates (usually 20%) with a minimum investment volume of EUR
100,000 (usually EUR 200,000).
- Similar in Slovenia : topup grant of 5 % of the eligible costs
- Austria : topup of about 2.5 % to 5.0 %
- Cyprus, Czech Republic, Latvia and Slovakia : higher priority (no higher grant) for projects related to organic farming

Measure 132: Participation of farmers in food

quality schemes

- Various Member States use Measure 132 to cover up to 100 % of the certification and inspection cost incurred by farmers. The maximum contribution is EUR 3,000 per year
and holding up to a maximum duration of five years.
- Austria, Cyprus, Estonia, Malta, the Netherlands, Madeira (Portugal) and Wales (UK : special provisions are made for organic farming participating in other food quality
schemes

Measure 133: Information and promotion

activities

- Malta, Estonia : only organic farmers may qualify for support in Malta and Estonia.

Axis 2

The most important measure of rural development programmes; the only measures used specifically for organic farming (except Cataluna, Spain).

Measure 214: Organic support payments

Conversion payments (2011):

- Cyprus, Belgium, Malta, some Italian regions and Greece have relatively high per hectare conversion payment rates (in general)
- In terms of average payments according to land use (grassland, arable land, fruits, vineyards...), the ranking of MS varies.
- For instance, Farmers in Sweden, Poland, Estonia, Bulgaria and Czech Republic receive the lowest grassland payments. Payment rates for arable land are highest in Cyprus
(potatoes), Malta, Greece (corn), Sweden, some Italian regions and Belgium.
- Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Luxembourg, Malta, Sweden and Portugal, are the MS where payment rates vary the most depending on land type
- Only Austria and Finland have uniform payments rates, not regarding to land use.
- Organic beekeeping conversion exists only in Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Spain
- Estonia, Spain, Cyprus, Finland, Greece and Italy: livestock payments (per unit or per hectare)
- Payments rate vary during the 5 years period of transition: higher for the 2-3 first years in a half of the MS
Maintenance payments (2011):
-

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