CCB response to the Consultation for the Impact Assessment on the “Common Agricultural Policy Towards 2020″proposals

CCB • January 1, 2011

CCB is very concerned that DG Agriculture does not understand and identify the relation between intensive agriculture practices that creates European-wide Eutrophication problems, as an important topic to address for the reform of the CAP after 2013. One very important environmental impact of existing EU agriculture subsidies is that the subsidies substantially contribute to the eutrophication problem in Europe. This is the reason why the relationship between agricultural subsidies and eutrophication must be addressed in the CAP reform.

The agricultural production in EU-countries create eutrophication water pollution problems in freshwater rivers and lakes and in sea areas. In the Baltic Sea 50 % of the nutrient pollution load comes as nutrient run-off from the agriculture sector in the Baltic catchment. This means that the Baltic Sea eutrophication problem cannot be solved if the agriculture sector does not make substantial reductions in its nutrient run-off. The CAP needs to create effective economic instruments and incentives to support such development.

By CCB June 17, 2025
On Wednesday, 28 May, the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) published its scientific advice for fish stocks in the Baltic Sea . In response, environmental NGOs from around the Baltic Sea region urge the European Commission to propose, and fisheries ministers to adopt, fishing opportunities at levels well below the headline advice to safeguard ecosystem needs and dynamics and allow for rapid recovery of Baltic Sea fish populations.
By CCB May 28, 2025
Key Baltic fish populations are in crisis, warn environmental NGOs. New scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, ICES, confirms the poor condition of key Baltic fish populations, several of which remain collapsed (1). EU fisheries ministers must set 2026-catch limits well below ICES advice and prioritise long-term recovery over short-term economic gains.