The Thematic Group on the CAP's Role in Supporting Sustainable and Competitive Livestock Systems provides an opportunity to explore how to improve the way CAP Strategic Plans (CSPs) are used to support transitions to more sustainable and competitive livestock systems, taking into account the diversity of systems in the EU.

Livestock systems play an important economic, social, environmental and cultural role in the EU. As well as producing meat, dairy and other products (e.g. wool) and supporting rural livelihoods, sustainable livestock systems can provide a range of services. As is the case for all forms of agriculture, livestock also has to play its part in addressing agriculture’s environmental and climate footprint. This includes improving nutrient management and promoting nutrient circularity and reducing emissions through enhancing the development of sustainable production models, as well as enhancing the economic viability of extensive systems to reduce the risk of land abandonment to maintain semi-natural, high nature value habitats.

Finding ways of transitioning to more sustainable livestock production systems in the EU is key therefore, reflecting on both their diversity and the different benefits they provide. The Vision for Agriculture and Food highlights this as a priority. To this end, the European Commission has established a dedicated workstream on livestock, with a focus on exploring policy pathways for a competitive, future-proof, sustainable and fair livestock sector in the EU.

The current CAP offers a range of interventions that Member States can use to support the sustainability and competitiveness of the livestock sector in all its diversity. This includes investment support and area-based payments (eco-schemes and agri-environment-climate interventions) as well as support for cooperation, innovation and knowledge exchange. Despite this, there is more that can be done to maximise their use within Member State CAP Strategic Plans (CSPs), for these purposes.

In this first meeting of the Thematic Group (TG), we looked at Member States’ experiences in designing and implementing CAP interventions that promote the sustainability and competitiveness of different livestock production models (e.g. improving nutrient management, promoting nutrient circularity, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, maintaining extensive systems to maintain high nature value habitats and reduce the risk of land abandonment, finding new markets for sustainable products etc.). We explored what factors have contributed to successful outcomes as well as challenges that need to be overcome.

Aims of the first meeting