Good news reached Saarland on Friday afternoon: The German strategic plan for the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was officially submitted in its revised version in Brussels. "With this, a real Herculean task has been brought to a preliminary end. From this point on, the EU Commission has three months to thoroughly review and approve the strategic plan. Ideally, the approval can be granted within this year," informed the Minister for Environment, Climate, Mobility, Agriculture, and Consumer Protection, Petra Berg. "Saarland is well prepared for the upcoming funding period. Our financing and strategic plan is in place," said Berg.
In the upcoming EU funding period from 2023 to 2027, the Saarland will receive around 56 million euros from the EU Fund for Agriculture and Rural Development (EAFRD). This means that just over 11 million euros will be available each year for the development of rural areas. This is more than double the previous annual allocation. This increase in funds is the result of a negotiation success by the Saarland at the decisive Agricultural Ministers' Conferences in 2020.
However, the financial windfall from Brussels is also associated with obligations. The EU requires a reinforcement of its funds through national resources. The federal funds flowing to Saarland from the federal-state joint task "Improvement of Agricultural Structure and Coastal Protection" (GAK) can only be used to a limited extent for the necessary co-financing due to earmarking, differences regarding funding content, or funding exclusions.
“Therefore, a significant amount of state funds for co-financing is essential. In order to utilize all available EU funds for ourselves, Saarland will provide funds amounting to approximately 5 million euros annually. That is 25 million euros in state co-financing for the upcoming funding period. Including EU and federal funds, we will be able to allocate a total of over 18.6 million euros per year – more than twice as much as in the last funding period,” announces the minister.
The following funding volume will be made available:
€56 million EU funds
+ 25 million € state funds
+ 12 million € GAK funds
= €93 million for the funding period 2023-2027
“The original plan was to complement the high share of EU funds secured by my predecessor Reinhold Jost with the maximum possible national co-financing, thereby achieving the greatest possible total amount. We aimed high, considering the austerity measures for consolidation
to achieve the best possible outcome with the state budget. Although co-financing at the originally desired level was not feasible, we will have significantly more funds available in all funding areas than in previous years. We will be able to pursue the goals we have set for the next 5 years, namely to invest as much money as possible in the development of rural areas: we will further expand organic farming, offer targeted environmentally related land measures, support businesses in future-oriented investments (environment, climate, animal welfare), and accompany villages and municipalities in their development. And, not to forget, we will be able to appropriately support 5 instead of 4 LEADER regions in the future. We keep our promises,” emphasizes the Minister of Agriculture and Environment.
