Explanatory Memorandum to COM(2023)767 - Implementation of Article 45 of Regulation 1306/2013 on information measures relating to the common agricultural policy - Main contents
Please note
This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2023)767 - Implementation of Article 45 of Regulation 1306/2013 on information measures relating to the common agricultural policy. |
|---|---|
| source | COM(2023)767  |
| date | 06-12-2023 |
Contents
- Brussels, 6.12.2023
- I.INTRODUCTION
- II.BUDGET
- III.BREAKDOWN OF ACTIONS FINANCED
- 1)Grants (co-financed information measures taken at the initiative of third party organisations)
- 2)Direct actions/public procurement (information measures taken at the initiative of the Commission)
- Media
- Website
- Social media
- Conferences
- -The Agri-food Promotion Policy Review conference, Brussels, 12-13 July 2021
- -The Farm to Fork conference, Brussels, 14-15 October 2021
- -Rural Pact conference, Brussels, 15-16 June 2022
- Fairs and events
- Publications
- Eurobarometer
- Evaluation
- 3)Corporate communication
- V.CONCLUSION
COM(2023) 767 final
REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL
on the implementation of Article 45 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on information measures relating to the common agricultural policy
{SWD(2023) 393 final}
This report concerns the implementation of information measures relating to the common agricultural policy (CAP) for 2021 and 2022, under Article 45 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy 1 (hereinafter the Regulation).
Article 45(1) first subparagraph of the Regulation states that information measures financed "shall aim, in particular, to help explain, implement and develop the CAP and to raise public awareness of its content and objectives to reinstate consumer confidence following crises through information campaigns, to inform farmers and other parties active in rural areas and to promote the European model of agriculture, as well as to help citizens understand it”.
Information measures financed fall into two main categories:
-Those submitted by third party organisations for co-financing under the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund - EAGF (grants);
-Those at the initiative of the Commission and financed at a rate of 100% under the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund - EAGF (direct actions/public procurement).
Article 45(2) last subparagraph states that these measures "shall also contribute to the corporate communication of the Union's political priorities in so far as those priorities are related to the general objectives of this Regulation".
According to Article 45(5) of the Regulation, a report on the implementation of the information measures under the Regulation shall be presented to the European Parliament and the Council every two years. This is the tenth such report 2 .
The budget made available for information measures under budget line 08 02 06 03, originally foreseen in the financing decision, was EUR 8 million in 2021; and EUR 8 million in 2022. In addition, in the framework of the Commission corporate communication actions during the period, EUR 6 881 000 in 2021 and EUR 11 210 000 in 2022 were co-delegated from Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) from both EAGF and EAFRD to Directorate‑General Communication (DG COMM) which is responsible for managing the Commission's corporate campaigns.
The breakdown of the budget earmarked between public procurement (actions taken at the initiative of the Commission) and grants (co-financed actions) was as follows:
2021: public procurement (EUR 4 million) (50%) – Grants (EUR 4 million) (50%)
2022: public procurement (EUR 4 million) (50%) – Grants (EUR 4 million) (50%)
Execution of the 2021 measures reached 92.28% in terms of commitments, and 83.31% in terms of payments of committed amounts.
Execution of the 2022 measures reached 100% in terms of commitments; the figures for payments on 2022 measures were not yet finalised at the time of drafting this report as payments could still be made until 31 December 2023.
In 2021-2022, CAP information measures were strongly focussed on the future CAP and the Commission policy priorities. Promoting awareness of the key role of the CAP in achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal was central to DG AGRI’s communication efforts. Addressing the sustained impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continued to be a concern in 2021, including on food supply and food security that was further impacted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In this period, DG AGRI continued to contribute to the Commission’s corporate communication actions.
Article 45 (information measures) of the Regulation envisages two types of measures to be funded through grants, annual work programmes or other specific measures presented by third parties. Specific information measures refer to information events limited in time and space and implemented on the basis of a single budget. The activities included can range from conferences to a comprehensive information campaign covering several types of information activities (such as audiovisual productions, press articles (traditional or online), digital media communication including social media posts, organising seminars and conferences or attending agro-food fairs, carried out in various regions and/or Member States. An annual work programme is a set of two to five specific information measures. For 2021 and 2022, it was decided (as in previous years) to retain only specific information measures for co-financing, with the aim of simplifying the grants scheme and ensuring coherence between the different communication actions.
The calls for proposals 3 , 4 published, respectively, on 31 October 2020 and 28 October 2021 had as theme ‘how the new CAP, as set out in particular in the CAP strategic plan proposal, would contribute towards the delivery of the Commission’s political priorities, in particular the European Green Deal, the Farm to Fork strategy, the Biodiversity strategy and the Organic Action Plan. The importance of the new CAP in managing the transition to sustainable food production systems, supporting the efforts to protect the environment and animal welfare as well as contributing to the targets set out in the European Green Deal’. It resulted in the selection of 22 projects being awarded a grant for implementing information measures on the CAP in 2021 and 26 projects in 2022 5 .
Applications were assessed in the light of rigorous eligibility, exclusion, selection and award criteria as laid down in the calls for proposals. This was in line with the Financial Regulation and reflected the Commission's aim to achieve equal treatment and fair competition between applicants 6 . During the reference period, a total of 48 actions were co-financed, all at a rate of 60% of the eligible costs actually incurred, plus a flat-rate contribution of 7% of the eligible costs.
In the 2021-2022 period, grants were awarded to media and communications agencies for measures promoting awareness of the importance of agriculture and the rural areas for society as a whole; these included actions with a significant trans-national element carried out by media companies active in different Member States. The projects illustrated how the CAP contributes towards the delivery of the Union’s political priorities, and addresses the sustainability of agriculture, in all its dimensions. Often, these actions included pedagogical elements and awareness raising events on food and farming, emphasising the role of EU support and the importance of generational renewal for the sector.
Support was also given to actions at national level led by producers’ associations or entities with strong links to the agricultural sector; these projects focussed on the current and future challenges facing EU agriculture and rural areas and the promotion of sustainability. Also, at national level inter alia an academic institution focussed on the future opportunities for young farmers. Aside cross-border projects focussing on supporting students in agricultural training, some organisations active in the environmental domain at national or EU level received support for measures to raise awareness of issues related to protecting the environment and safeguarding biodiversity in the context of the Farm to Fork strategy and European Green Deal priorities.
Frequently, grant awarded projects included an educational component targeting school children, teachers and university students. These actions were designed to engage with young people, raise their awareness of the CAP and its contribution in many areas such as climate change, food security, and the promotion of healthy diets as a lifestyle choice.
In 2021, due to some remaining restrictions enacted by national authorities in relation with the COVID-19 pandemic, some grant awarded projects were still facing with difficulties in the implementation of their actions. These had an impact in particular on the activities related to the organisation of presential events as seminars in schools, conferences and participation in fairs. In line with the global approach agreed across the European Commission and as in 2020, DG AGRI continued to adopt flexibility in seeking solutions to ensure the execution of these projects.
The Commission Staff Working Document accompanying this report gives detailed information on the grants awarded during the reporting period, including the number of successful applications per Member State.
In the 2021-2022 period, it is important to emphasise that a considerable number of co-financed actions reached a wider audience beyond the direct participants, due to the multiplier effect of the specialised press and media, as well as of the increased use of digital and social media as dissemination tools.
2)Direct actions/public procurement (information measures taken at the initiative of the Commission)
In 2021-2022, as in the past, an important number of information measures were carried out at the initiative of the Commission.
More information on direct actions are to be found in the Commission Staff Working document accompanying this report.
Supporting the media with timely relevant information on the current and future CAP and rural development policy continued to feature strongly in this period. The platform aimed at journalists interested in food and farming issues, www.Ag-Press.eu">www.Ag-Press.eu , was further enhanced.
In 2021, due to COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions, Ag-Press organised webinars and events instead of in-person seminars and visits, namely:
-On 24 March 2021, Ag-Press journalists were invited to attend the joint press conference organised by the European Commission Spokesperson’s Service (SPP), following the adoption of the Action Plan for the development of organic production, with the participation of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans and Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski;
-This was followed up on 25 March by a dedicated Ag-Press webinar on “the Future of Organic Farming”. This was chaired by the SPP, and the participation of Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski and DG AGRI experts permitted an in depth briefing for the network journalists;
-On 5 July, a webinar on the Long-term Vision for Rural Areas 7 (LTVRA) with the participation of the Commissioner and senior officials from DG AGRI and Directorate‑General Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) permitted expert insights for the Ag-Press network on the challenges and opportunities confronting Europe’s rural regions, following the adoption of the Commission’s Communication on the LTVRA;
-On 7 July 2021, the Commissioner and AGRI senior officials participated in the Webinar: “The new CAP: for a fairer and greener agriculture”, facilitating a very high-level perspective for the network on the future CAP and its economic, social and environmental aspects;
-In addition, to mark Forests Day on 21 March 2021, a news briefing, together with a special newsletter, were organised for the journalists members of Ag-Press network. This demonstrated how EU forests contribute to the economic, environmental and societal objectives of the EU.
In the course of 2022, the following Ag-Press webinars and events were organised:
-webinar on ‘How is the CAP performing? Lessons learnt for the new CAP’, 11 January 2022;
-webinar on ‘Food security and resilience of food systems’, 23 March 2022;
-press trip to Brittany, France, 9 to 11 May 2022. The topic was ‘Eco-friendly agriculture models’;
-press trip to South Bohemia, Czech Republic, 23 to 25 November 2022. The topic was ‘EU food quality policy and innovation in agriculture’.
The website continued also to be an important source of specialist information on agriculture and rural development. The reporting period saw important changes to the Commission's web presence, designed to make it more user-friendly and relevant for the general public.
The website incorporated more videos and graphics, including nine video clips on ‘Farmers of the Future’ in 2021 and eight video clips on the ‘winners of the EU Organic awards’ in 2022 on YouTube and Europa AV portal.
Production and dissemination of communication material, including the multilingual podcasts Food for Europe , revamping the overview webpage and promoting the episodes on social media channels.
In 2022, a new web section with supporting factsheets on ‘food security and food supply’ has been created in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, featuring the measures that the Commission took to safeguard global food security and to support EU farmers.
DG AGRI continued to use social media to inform citizens and stakeholders on all aspects of DG AGRI activities.
In 2021, an emphasis was put on raising awareness of DG AGRI priorities by engaging specific audiences with targeted activities, notably:
-organised an Instagram contest on Geographical Indications targeted to food and cooking enthusiasts;
-developed a Facebook and Twitter campaign for the launch of the Food for Europe podcast, focused on organic agriculture;
-developed an organic campaign on Facebook and Instagram on the new CAP eco- schemes;
-launch of the EU Organic Day on 23 September 2021 featured the NextGenerationEU campaign’s tagline Make it real, Make it green complemented by Make it organic and using the visual branding in the communication products, thus aligning with the NextGenerationEU campaign branding and messaging, with its focus, in particular, on the green and digital transformation, and also health, resilience and equality.
Most notable social media activities in 2022 were:
-Social media campaign ‘A taste of Europe’ on the geographical indications policy review (October-November 2022);
-Social media campaign on promoting the first edition of the #EUOrganic Awards and videos of the winners on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter;
-Promotion of the CAP Strategic Plans approvals – from August – December 2022.
In this period, engaging with stakeholders and reaching out to the general public continued to be a priority for DG AGRI’s communication actions. Conferences were an important means for consultation and the exchange of information and ideas on vital policy issues between the Commission and a wide variety of stakeholders, at regional, national and international level.
In 2021, three online or hybrid conferences were organised:
This conference was part of a comprehensive consultation process, which facilitated the exchange of views with stakeholders and civil society on the impact of different policy options being considered as part of the ongoing review of the EU promotion policy for agricultural products. The conference, together with the wider consultation process, focused on how promotion policy enhances the competitiveness of the EU agricultural sector while contributing to EU policy priorities, notably the Farm to Fork strategy and the Europe Beating Cancer Plan. Participants included a broad range of stakeholders, including producers, trade and business representatives, NGOs, academics and researchers. The principal speakers included EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Janusz Wojciechowski, Dr Jože Podgoršek, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, representing the Slovenian Presidency of the Council, Mr Herbert Dorfmann MEP, co-rapporteur on Farm to Fork strategy, and Mr Paolo De Castro MEP, Committee on International Trade, as well as senior officials from the European Commission and World Health Organisation.
This was the second edition of what is envisaged as an annual event bringing together a broad range of European stakeholders involved in advancing towards more sustainable food systems. The conference was hosted by the European Commissioner for Health & Food Safety, Ms. Stella Kyriakides, and the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Janusz Wojciechowski. The European Commission Executive Vice-President, Mr. Frans Timmermans opened the Conference with a video message.
The Farm to Fork conference 2021 focused on the progress made on the implementation of the Farm to Fork strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system. The event also provided a forum for discussion on the challenges and opportunities linked to the global transition to sustainable food systems, as well as on further thematic areas of intervention and on-going research and innovation efforts.
-The 2021 Agricultural Outlook conference – Brussels, 9-10 December 2021
The theme of the annual DG AGRI flagship event was resilience in EU agri-food systems and rural areas. With the opening address by Commissioner Wojciechowski, the conference also included a keynote speech by Vice-President Šuica.
A broad range of stakeholders (producers, food industry, NGOs) joined researchers and agricultural foresight and innovation experts from the EU and international organisations including the FAO and UN Environmental Programme to examine and exchange on the situation of the agricultural markets, the impact of the pandemic and the contribution of the reformed CAP to the green transition. As is customary, there was also a strong focus on the work undertaken jointly with the Joint Research Centre on the medium-term prospects for the EU agricultural markets.
In 2022, two major conferences were organised:
Participants representing EU, national, and regional policy makers along with local authorities, social and economic stakeholders gathered for the first Rural Pact conference. The conference design was custom-built to foster collaborative work, a key enabler for the Rural Pact. Participants agreed on the governance of a Rural Pact and committed to achieving the long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas. Over these two days, participants and members of the Rural Pact community started making commitments to make the EU’s rural areas stronger, more connected, resilient and prosperous by 2040.
-The 2022 EU Agricultural Outlook conference – Brussels, 8-9 December 2022
The headline of the annual DG AGRI flagship event was ‘A sustainable agri-food system forged in crises’. The conference kicked off with an opening address by Commissioner Wojciechowski. Through interventions from senior representatives from EU bodies and international organisations, panel discussions, and inspiring examples, this future-oriented event gathered farmers, agri-food experts and rural actors to discuss topical issues, in addition to examining medium-term outlook for agricultural markets, income and environment, with a 2032 horizon.
Due to the pandemic, DG AGRI did not participate in the planned agricultural fairs for 2021, which were either cancelled or digitalised in a format not suited for DG AGRI’s participation (Berlin, Paris and Santarém), or due to restrictions of missions in the European Commission (Slovenia).
In 2022, the Internationale Grüne Woche fair in Berlin was cancelled due to the pandemic.
DG AGRI together with DG SANTE participated at the Salon international de l’agriculture in Paris from 26 February to 6 March 2022. The two DGs were joined by DG DEFIS to illustrate the contribution of the EU’s satellite programmes to precision farming techniques.
DG AGRI participated at the Open Day in Brussels on the occasion of 9th May celebrations. The stand included activities on the new CAP and tasting of GI products.
As part of the outreach to target audiences in Member States, DG AGRI was present at two agricultural fairs: Země živitelka 2022 in Czechia from 25 to 30 August 2022 and Agroshow 2022 in Poland from 23 to 25 September 2022. Main topics were the new common agricultural policy and geographical indications.
Expo Dubai 2020 event ‘European Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategy: how innovation can support the transition towards global sustainable food system’ was organised on 19 February 2022 by DGs AGRI, SANTE and RTD. The event was hosted in the French pavilion at EXPO and inaugurated by Commissioners Wojciechowski and Kyriakides. The conference underlined the importance of sustainable global food system and highlighted the role that multi-lateral and multi-actor research and innovation projects can play in the transition towards sustainable food systems.
The EU Organic Awards ceremony was organised for the first time in 2022 and took place on 23 September on the EU Organic Day in Brussels. Eight individual awards for seven categories were awarded during the event that was opened by Commissioner Wojciechowski. The EU organic awards acknowledge people, businesses and institutions that have developed innovative, sustainable projects around organic food and farming.
On 26 September 2022 DG AGRI organised Seminar on Geographical Indications (GIs) at the Smaki Regionow fair in Poznan, Poland. The target audience were producers present at the Agroshow fair and a concurrent one (Polagra) starting on the same day. The event was carried out in cooperation with the Polish Ministry of Agriculture. The programme included presentations on GIs, CAP strategic plan support for setting up GIs in Poland, as well as testimonies from representatives of Polish GI producers.
The EU school scheme fit for the future event that was organised in Brussels on 24 November 2022 brought together participants representing national authorities and stakeholders from across Member States, discussing about the EU school scheme challenges in the context of the review and the societal, economic and environmental aspects of sustainability. The event provided the opportunity for the Commission to present preliminary findings from the evaluation of the public consultations and gather views and suggestions on preliminary proposals under the impact assessment.
Farming’s got talent! Vocational education and training for agriculture in transition was organised in Brussels on 24 November 2022. The event brought together teachers, students, training providers and other EU and national level actors to highlight the role vocational education and training can play in creating a farming sector that is ready for the green and digital transition.
As before, there was a continued focus on the further development of publications in electronic forms. Limited stock of key paper publications was ensured mainly to be distributed during events, at some conferences and by EU networks, through Europe Direct Centres and Representations, for example.
In 2022, a Eurobarometer survey was carried out as part of the regular tracking of EU citizens' perceptions on agriculture and the CAP. The three objectives of the CAP ranked highest by Europeans in that survey – securing a stable supply of food in the EU at all times, ensuring sustainable management of natural resources and reasonable food prices for consumers – show continuity with earlier surveys as regards securing foody supply and the importance of protecting the environment while also reflecting the impact of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine on food affordability. A majority of Europeans considers the CAP fulfils its objectives and that it benefits all citizens, not only farmers 8 .
An external evaluation of DG AGRI’s external communication policy was launched in 2019, and the evaluation’s external support study was published on 4 March 2021 9 .
The study’s findings and recommendations were taken on board in preparing DG AGRI’s External Communication Strategy for the period 2021-2025. The external study also informed the preparation of the Staff Working Document on the evaluation of CAP information measures carried out in 2021 and published on 7 December 2021 (SWD(2021) 385 final).
The immediate economic hardship of the coronavirus crisis and the long-term green and digital transition of the world economy impact heavily on all three general objectives of the EAGF and the EAFRD. This is one of the reasons for the thematic focus of the corporate communication campaign NextGenEU. Launched by DG COMM on 11 May 2021, the campaign shows how the EU is making Europe healthier, greener and more digital, and how everyone can be part of that change. In this campaign, there is thus a strong focus on the European Green Deal objectives.
In 2021 - 2022, the NextGenEU communication campaign featured the ambition towards a zero pollution and low carbon economy, organic farming, the importance of pollinators for our agricultural sector, biodiversity, sustainable bovine farming, the promotion of a healthy and diverse diet, the transformative role of digitisation, and sustainable infrastructure projects in rural areas.
On 19 September 2022, the Commission launched the campaign You are EU, which makes a link between the energy transition and EU values in this period of crisis due to the war in Ukraine. This initiative complements Member States’ national communication activities on energy saving. The campaign combines classic advertising channels such as billboards and radio with digital advertising, so as to maximise its reach within the EU population, specifically targeting young Europeans and families.
The campaign message is related to the objectives of the CAP. Promoting the energy transition serves the general objectives of both funds to support and strengthen environmental protection, including biodiversity, and climate action and to contribute to achieving the environmental and climate-related objectives of the Union, including its commitments under the Paris Agreement.
IV.THE PROPORTION OF SPENDING (COMMITMENTS AND PAYMENTS) BETWEEN CO-FINANCED ACTIONS AT THE INITIATIVE OF THIRD PARTIES (GRANTS) AND INFORMATION ACTIONS AT THE INITIATIVE OF THE COMMISSION (PUBLIC PROCUREMENT) 10
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||
| All figures in EUR | Grants | Public procurement | Total | Grants | Public procurement | Total |
| Actual budget | 4.045.420 | 3.850.000 | 8.000.000 | 4.000.000 | 4.000.000 | 8.000.000 |
| Commitments+ Co-Delegation (*) | 3.973.432 | 3.409.287 | 7.382.720 | 4.189.258 | 3.810.742 | 8.000.000 |
| (**) | (**) | |||||
| % of consumption | 98,22% | 88,55% | 92,28% | 104,73% | 95,27% | 100,00% |
| Payments | 3.635.970 | 2.514.856 | 6.150.826 | N/A (***) | N/A (***) | N/A (***) |
| % of payment vs. Commitment/Co-Delegation (*) | 91,51% | 73,76% | 83,31% | N/A (***) | N/A (***) | N/A (***) |
(*) Figures including commitments level 1 or 2 as well as budget spent by co-delegated entities.
(**) Based on DG AGRI's external communication action plan amendment.
(***) Payments of these actions are ongoing and not yet finalised.
Payments are generally lower than the amounts originally committed. In the case of grants, this can be explained by the fact that final costs of the actions are lower than initially foreseen by the beneficiary, and secondly, because not all expenses declared by the beneficiaries can be considered as eligible. In the case of actions taken at the initiative of the Commission, the difference between payments and commitments arises from the fact that, while commitments are fixed, actual expenditure is less than that foreseen due to savings and the use of more cost-effective measures during implementation.
Information measures carried out in relation to the common agricultural policy during 2021 and 2022 were focused on the policy review and its capacity to better respond to the emerging economic, environmental and social challenges. Communication activities focussed on CAP contribution to objectives of the Green Deal, the Climate Pact, the Farm to Fork Strategy as well as to food security and resilience in view of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Measures also included communications to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the agri-food sector and assist in its recovery, including the implementation of the European Union Recovery Instrument.
(1) Official Journal of the European Union, OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 549.
(2) COM(2003) 235 final of 8.5.2003; COM(2007) 324 final of 13.6.2007; COM(2009) 237 final of 20.5.2009; COM(2011) 294 final of 25.5.2011; COM(2013) 645 final of 20.9.2013; COM(2016) 83 final of 23.2.2016; COM(2017) 777 final of 19.12.2017; COM(2019) 634 final of 17.12.2019, COM(2021) 822 final of 20.12.2021.
(3) Call for proposals for grants 2021 published on the European Commission’s funding & tenders portal under the topic ID IMCAP-INFOME-2021 Funding & tenders (europa.eu)
(4) Call for proposals for grants 2022 published on the European Commission’s funding & tenders portal under topic ID IMCAP-2022-INFOME Funding & tenders (europa.eu)
(5) Detailed information on the projects is to be found on: https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/key-policies/common-agricultural-policy/financing-cap/beneficiaries_en#grantsforinformation
(6) More detailed information on grants are also to be found on the Europa website: ec.europa.eu/agriculture .
(7) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_3162
(8) Eurobarometer Special Report 520 published in June 2022 Europeans, Agriculture and the CAP - June 2022 - - Eurobarometer survey (europa.eu)
(9) Evaluation support study on the information policy on the Common Agricultural Policy - Publications Office of the EU (europa.eu)
(10) EUR 18.091.000 – codelegated to DG Communication in 2021 and 2022 for corporate communication activities is not included in this table.