The European Commission is taking steps to allow EU member states to pay higher advances of Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) funds to farmers this year.

The move is aimed at helping to address the liquidity problems that many farmers currently face.

If member states make use of this authorisation, farmers will be able to receive up to 70% of their direct payments in advance from October 16, 2025, compared with 50% currently. A similar move was made last year.

Similarly, advance payments for area and animal-based interventions under rural development can be increased by up to 85%, instead of the usual 75%, according to the commission.

EU farmers continue to face liquidity problems that have arisen due to an exceptional combination of adverse events.

According to the commission such events include extreme weather which has had an impact on yields in recent years, as well as the uncertainty created by trade tensions.

To respond to these challenges, and in line with one of the CAP’s fundamental objectives to provide an economic safety net for EU farmers, a large majority of member states requested this authorisation.

The commission stated that it took swift action to provide this much-needed support to EU farmers while also ensuring legal certainty for member states.

The implementing acts were voted in the Joint CAP Committee meeting on July 16 and will be published in September.