Evaluating CAP simplification: Member States are embracing the challenge within CAP Strategic Plans

Simplification of the CAP, including reducing the administrative burden, is an ongoing process that needs to be assessed to improve policy design and implementation.

This is one of the key messages from the participants of the eighth Good Practice Workshop, organised by the European Evaluation Helpdesk for the CAP. The workshop examined the assessment of CAP simplification for both beneficiaries and administrations. Held in Budapest on 7–8 November 2024, it gathered 91 participants from 26 EU Member States, including representatives from Managing Authorities, Paying Agencies, evaluators, researchers and national CAP networks.

Experts and stakeholders showed great interest in the topic, as CAP simplification is a top priority for European legislators and part of the EU strategy for Better Regulation. Back in March 2024, the European Commission proposed certain changes to address the concerns raised by farmers who protested last year.

Moreover, according to Regulation (EU) 2021/2115, Member States shall take appropriate measures to reduce the administrative burden and ensure simplification in the implementation of the CAP when pursuing the CAP Specific Objectives.  When designing their CAP Strategic Plans, Member States were expected to explain how their interventions and elements, common to several interventions, contributed to the simplification for final beneficiaries, and reduction of the administrative burden.

Against this background, the assessment of simplification is an important issue from an evaluation perspective.  Over two days, the Good Practice Workshop participants explored simplification within CAP Strategic Plans, its key components, and insights from EU-level measures adopted for simplification. The workshop enhanced evaluation knowledge, while fostering networking and practical exchanges. Discussions covered the cost structure, the adoption of simplification measures, and the design of interventions.

Germany provided an overview of the implementation of cost analyses of Rural Development Programmes (RDPs), providing important findings for cost-effectiveness assessments, programme development and more general discussions on administrative simplification. Romania presented the evaluation of the impact of overregulation in the implementation of national RDP 2014-2020, identifying legal requirements/provisions that represent overregulation and gold plating. In addition, Sweden presented an evaluation of currently implemented simplifications for the current 2023-2027 CAP, revealing how those measures changed the burden for both the administration and beneficiaries. Lastly, the Spanish simplification evaluation, currently underway, showed how digital tools and regionalised governance were considered when assessing simplification and its role in meeting the Spanish CSP objectives.

Simplification requires continuous assessment to refine policy design and reduce administrative burdens.

“Evaluating its impact provides insights into costs and effectiveness. Addressing methodological and governance challenges relies on robust data collection and stakeholder coordination to build trust and improve evaluations. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, such as the standard cost model and stakeholder interviews, supports a comprehensive assessment,’’ said Marili Parissaki, co-chair of the Good Practice Workshop.

Preliminary findings from the EU-level ‘Study on simplification and administrative burden for farmers and other beneficiaries under the CAP’ were presented, with publication expected in early 2025.

The study examined which administrative tasks farmers perform and which they find the most burdensome. The aim is to provide the European Commission with an overview of what farmers perceive as administrative burden, enabling the delivery of short and mid-term actions to help alleviate these challenges.

In conclusion, learning from previous studies helps refine policy approaches, while a structured follow-up of recommendations ensures long-term improvements, particularly for post-2028 CAP policies.  Differentiating between CAP-mandated requirements and national regulations helps to identify gold plating, thus potentially reducing unnecessary administrative burden.

Read the full report.