The European Commission has adopted a regulation granting farmers a partial exemption from the cross-compliance fallow land rule.
The regulation will enter into force tomorrow, 14 February, and will apply retroactively from 1 January for one year, i.e. until 31 December 2024.
The partial exemption takes into account numerous requests from member states for more flexibility to better respond to the challenges faced by EU farmers.
Instead of keeping the land fallow or maintaining non-productive elements on 4% of the arable land, EU farmers growing nitrogen-fixing crops and/or catch crops on 4% of the arable land will be considered as complying with the so-called GAEC 8 requirement. However, farmers who wish to do so may continue to meet the requirement by leaving the land fallow or maintaining non-productive elements.
Member States wishing to apply the derogation at national level must notify the Commission within 15 days of the entry into force of the regulation so that farmers can be informed as soon as possible.