Eco-schemes, introduced under the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to foster sustainable farming practices, are not meeting expectations, a new report reveals.
Intended to promote environmental benefits such as enhanced biodiversity and improved soil health, these schemes now cover 70% of EU agricultural land.
However, an analysis across 12 EU countries shows that many member states have opted for low-impact practices that merely fulfill sustainability criteria, rather than adopting meaningful, environmentally beneficial measures.
While eco-schemes have met their area targets on average, uptake among farmers has varied widely. Practices with minimal environmental impact, like nutrient management schemes, have seen high adoption rates, while more ambitious biodiversity-focused schemes struggle with poor participation. Factors like inadequate promotion, unattractive payment rates, and administrative burdens have especially deterred smaller farms.
The report also highlights that the simplifications introduced to CAP in 2024, which were rushed through due to farmer protests, have exacerbated these issues, further undermining the schemes’ effectiveness. Countries that tailored their schemes to local needs, like Spain and the Netherlands, had higher engagement rates, but still prioritized less ambitious measures.
Notably, certain innovative schemes, such as Slovakia’s buffer strips and Poland’s water retention projects, show promise, but more attractive payments and better targeting are necessary for wider success. Without effective monitoring and adjustments, the eco-schemes’ ability to achieve biodiversity goals remains questionable.
Max Meister from NABU (BirdLife Germany) calls for urgent action: “With the climate and biodiversity crises already affecting millions of farms, Member States must take steps to make eco-schemes truly effective and attractive.” Tatiana Nemcova from BirdLife Europe stresses that eco-schemes need to become integral to farming, not just a green-label income boost, if long-term food security is to be achieved.
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