The Agriculture and Fisheries Council held a debate on the CAP reform which mostly focused on direct payments. If most delegations supported to better target payments to young and small farmers, they are divided on the issue to know if the small farmers should fulfil or not the greening or cross-compliance provisions. They do not agree on the definition of active farmer either.

The Council celebrated a debate on the CAP reform last 26 of April. Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers discussed at first the direct payments. They focused on special measures proposed to help particular categories of farmers, such as young farmers, small farmers and farmers in areas with natural constraints. Most of the delegations supported the need to better target payments to young farmers and small farmers. On 17 of April, the European Court of Auditors issued a report in which it considered that the complexity of this policy continues to make it difficult for paying agencies and beneficiaries to administer, in spite of the proposed reorganisation.

However, Ministers are divided on the issue to know if the small farmers should fulfil or not the greening or cross-compliance provisions. Member States could accept the possibility of an increased support, but wanted to look into how it would fit in with a similar programme under the rural development provisions for farmers in areas with natural constraints. They also agreed with the Commission that this type of measure should stay voluntary.

The definition of active farmer was under discussion as well. Most delegations supported the Presidency suggestion to focus on farming, and in order to avoid undue administrative burden, not to require Member States to control the proportion of direct payments received by recipients compared to their receipts from non agricultural activities. On internal redistribution issue, a considerable number of Ministers had concerns about the impact of the Commission's proposal that Member States achieve a uniform level of direct payments at regional or national level by 2019.