REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the implementation of Article 45 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on information measures relating to the common agricultural policy
Date: 2023-12-06
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: EU financing, EU initiative, European Commission, co-financing, common agricultural policy, dissemination of EU information, public awareness campaign

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 6.12.2023  COM(2023) 767 final  REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the implementation of Article 45 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on information measures relating to the common agricultural policy {SWD(2023) 393 final}  
 
 
I. 

INTRODUCTION  

This  report  concerns  the  implementation  of  information  measures  relating  to  the  common 
agricultural policy (CAP) for 2021 and 2022, under Article 45 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 
of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on the financing, management 
and monitoring of the common agricultural policy1 (hereinafter 'the Regulation'). 

Article 45(1) first subparagraph of the Regulation states that information measures financed "shall 
aim, in particular, to help explain, implement and develop the CAP and to raise public awareness 
of its content and objectives to reinstate consumer confidence following crises through information 
campaigns, to inform farmers and other parties active in rural areas and to promote the European 
model of agriculture, as well as to help citizens understand it”.  

Information measures financed fall into two main categories: 

-  Those  submitted  by  third  party  organisations  for  co-financing  under  the  European 

Agricultural Guarantee Fund - EAGF (grants); 

-  Those  at  the  initiative  of  the  Commission  and  financed  at  a  rate  of  100%  under  the 
European Agricultural Guarantee Fund - EAGF (direct actions/public procurement). 

Article 45(2) last subparagraph states that these measures "shall also contribute to the corporate 
communication  of  the  Union's  political  priorities  in  so  far  as  those  priorities  are  related  to  the 
general objectives of this Regulation". 

According to Article 45(5) of the Regulation, a report on the implementation of the information 
measures  under  the  Regulation  shall  be  presented  to  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council 
every two years. This is the tenth such report2. 

II.  BUDGET  

The  budget  made  available  for  information  measures  under  budget  line  08 02 06 03,  originally 
foreseen in the financing decision, was EUR 8 million in 2021; and EUR 8 million in 2022. In 
addition, in the framework of the Commission corporate communication actions during the period, 
EUR 6 881 000 in 2021 and EUR 11 210 000 in 2022 were co-delegated from Directorate-General 
for  Agriculture  and  Rural  Development  (DG  AGRI)  from  both  EAGF  and  EAFRD  to 
Directorate‑General  Communication  (DG  COMM)  which  is  responsible  for  managing  the 
Commission's corporate campaigns. 

1 
2 

Official Journal of the European Union, OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 549. 
COM(2003) 235 final of 8.5.2003; COM(2007) 324 final of 13.6.2007; COM(2009) 237 final of 20.5.2009; 
COM(2011) 294 final of 25.5.2011; COM(2013) 645 final of 20.9.2013; COM(2016) 83 final of 23.2.2016; 
COM(2017)  777  final  of  19.12.2017;  COM(2019)  634  final  of  17.12.2019,  COM(2021)  822  final  of 
20.12.2021. 

1 

 
 
 
 
The  breakdown  of  the  budget  earmarked  between  public  procurement  (actions  taken  at  the 
initiative of the Commission) and grants (co-financed actions) was as follows: 

2021:  public  procurement  (EUR  4  million)  (50%)  –  Grants  (EUR  4  million)  (50%) 
2022:  public procurement (EUR 4 million) (50%) – Grants (EUR 4 million) (50%)  

Execution of the 2021 measures reached 92.28% in terms of commitments, and 83.31% in terms 
of payments of committed amounts.  

Execution of the 2022 measures reached 100% in terms of commitments; the figures for payments 
on 2022 measures were not yet finalised at the time of drafting this report as payments could still 
be made until 31 December 2023. 

III.  BREAKDOWN OF ACTIONS FINANCED 

In  2021-2022,  CAP  information  measures  were  strongly  focussed  on  the  future  CAP  and  the 
Commission policy priorities. Promoting awareness of the key role of the CAP in achieving the 
objectives  of  the  European  Green  Deal  was  central  to  DG  AGRI’s  communication  efforts. 
Addressing the sustained impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continued to be a concern in 2021, 
including  on  food  supply  and  food  security  that  was  further  impacted  by  Russia’s  invasion  of 
Ukraine in February 2022. In this period, DG AGRI continued to contribute to the Commission’s 
corporate communication actions. 

1)  Grants  (co-financed  information  measures  taken  at  the  initiative  of  third  party 

organisations) 

Article 45 (information measures) of the Regulation envisages two types of measures to be funded 
through grants,  annual work programmes or other specific measures presented by third parties. 
Specific  information  measures  refer  to  information  events  limited  in  time  and  space  and 
implemented on the basis of a single budget. The activities included can range from conferences 
to a comprehensive information campaign covering several types of information activities (such 
as  audiovisual  productions,  press  articles  (traditional  or  online),  digital  media  communication 
including social media posts, organising seminars and conferences or attending agro-food fairs, 
carried out in various regions and/or Member States. An annual work programme is a set of two 
to five specific information measures. For 2021 and 2022, it was decided (as in previous years) to 
retain only specific information measures for co-financing, with the aim of simplifying the grants 
scheme and ensuring coherence between the different communication actions. 

The calls for proposals3, 4 published, respectively, on 31 October 2020 and 28 October 2021 had 
as theme ‘how the new CAP, as set out in particular in the CAP strategic plan proposal, would 
contribute towards the delivery of the Commission’s political priorities, in particular the European 
Green Deal, the Farm to Fork strategy, the Biodiversity strategy and the Organic Action Plan. The 

3 

4 

Call for proposals for grants 2021 published on the European Commission’s funding & tenders portal under 
the topic ID IMCAP-INFOME-2021 Funding & tenders (europa.eu) 
Call for proposals for grants 2022 published on the European Commission’s funding & tenders portal under 
topic ID IMCAP-2022-INFOME Funding & tenders (europa.eu)  

2 

 
 
 
 
 
importance of the new CAP in managing the transition to sustainable food production systems, 
supporting the efforts to protect the environment and animal welfare as well as contributing to the 
targets set out in the European Green Deal’. It resulted in the selection of 22 projects being awarded 
a grant for implementing information measures on the CAP in 2021 and 26 projects in 20225.  

Applications  were  assessed  in  the  light  of  rigorous  eligibility,  exclusion,  selection  and  award 
criteria as laid down in the calls for proposals. This was in line with the Financial Regulation and 
reflected  the  Commission's  aim  to  achieve  equal  treatment  and  fair  competition  between 
applicants6. During the reference period, a total of 48 actions were co-financed, all at a rate of 60% 
of the eligible costs actually incurred, plus a flat-rate contribution of 7% of the eligible costs.  

In  the  2021-2022  period,  grants  were  awarded  to  media  and  communications  agencies  for 
measures promoting awareness of the importance of agriculture and the rural areas for society as 
a  whole;  these  included  actions  with  a  significant  trans-national  element  carried  out  by  media 
companies active in different Member States. The projects illustrated how the CAP contributes 
towards  the  delivery  of  the  Union’s  political  priorities,  and  addresses  the  sustainability  of 
agriculture,  in  all  its  dimensions.  Often,  these  actions  included  pedagogical  elements  and 
awareness  raising  events  on  food  and  farming,  emphasising  the  role  of  EU  support  and  the 
importance of generational renewal for the sector.  

Support was also given to actions at national level led by producers’ associations or entities with 
strong links to the agricultural sector; these projects focussed on the current and future challenges 
facing EU agriculture and rural areas and the promotion of sustainability. Also, at national level 
inter alia an academic institution focussed on the future opportunities for young farmers. Aside 
cross-border projects focussing on supporting students in agricultural training, some organisations 
active in the environmental domain at national or EU level   received support for measures to raise 
awareness  of  issues  related  to  protecting  the  environment  and  safeguarding  biodiversity  in  the 
context of the Farm to Fork strategy and European Green Deal priorities.  

Frequently, grant awarded projects included an educational component targeting school children, 
teachers and university students. These actions were designed to engage with young people, raise 
their  awareness  of  the  CAP  and  its  contribution  in  many  areas  such  as  climate  change,  food 
security, and the promotion of healthy diets as a lifestyle choice. 

In 2021, due to some remaining restrictions enacted by national authorities in relation with the 
COVID-19  pandemic,  some  grant  awarded  projects  were  still  facing  with  difficulties  in  the 
implementation of their actions. These had an impact in particular on the activities related to the 
organisation of presential events as seminars in schools, conferences and participation in  fairs. In 
line with the global approach agreed across the European Commission and as in 2020, DG AGRI 
continued to adopt flexibility in seeking solutions to ensure the execution of these projects. 

The Commission Staff Working Document accompanying this report gives detailed information 
on the grants awarded during the reporting period, including the number of successful applications 
per Member State. 

Detailed information on the projects is to be found on: https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/key-

5  
policies/common-agricultural-policy/financing-cap/beneficiaries_en#grantsforinformation 
6 
found  on 

More  detailed 
to  be 
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/grants-for-information-measures_en. 

information  on  grants  are  also 

the  Europa  website: 

3 

 
 
 
In the 2021-2022 period, it is important to emphasise that a considerable number of co-financed 
actions reached a wider audience beyond the direct participants, due to the multiplier effect of the 
specialised  press  and  media,  as  well  as  of  the  increased  use  of  digital  and  social  media  as 
dissemination tools. 

2)  Direct  actions/public procurement  (information  measures  taken  at  the  initiative  of 

the Commission) 

In 2021-2022, as in the past, an important number of information measures were carried out at the 
initiative of the Commission.  

More information on direct actions are to be found in the Commission Staff Working document 
accompanying this report. 

Media  

Supporting the media with timely relevant information on the current and future CAP and rural 
development policy continued to feature strongly in this period. The platform aimed at journalists 
interested in food and farming issues, www.Ag-Press.eu, was further enhanced. 

In 2021, due to COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions, Ag-Press organised webinars and events 
instead of in-person seminars and visits, namely: 

-  On 24 March 2021, Ag-Press journalists were invited to attend the joint press conference 
organised  by  the  European  Commission  Spokesperson’s  Service  (SPP),  following  the 
adoption  of  the  Action  Plan  for  the  development  of  organic  production,  with  the 
participation of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans and Commissioner Janusz 
Wojciechowski; 

-  This  was followed up on 25 March by a  dedicated Ag-Press  webinar on  “the Future of 
Organic Farming”. This was chaired by the SPP, and the participation of Commissioner 
Janusz  Wojciechowski  and  DG  AGRI  experts  permitted  an  in  depth  briefing  for  the 
network journalists; 

-  On  5  July,  a  webinar  on  the  Long-term  Vision  for  Rural  Areas7  (LTVRA)  with  the 
the  Commissioner  and  senior  officials  from  DG  AGRI  and 
participation  of 
Directorate‑General Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) permitted expert insights for 
the  Ag-Press  network  on  the  challenges  and  opportunities  confronting  Europe’s  rural 
regions, following the adoption of the Commission’s Communication on the LTVRA;  

-  On 7 July 2021, the Commissioner and AGRI senior officials participated in the Webinar: 
“The  new  CAP:  for  a  fairer  and  greener  agriculture”,  facilitating  a  very  high-level 
perspective for the network on the future CAP and its economic, social and environmental 
aspects; 

- 

In addition, to mark Forests Day on 21 March 2021, a news briefing, together with a special 
newsletter,  were  organised  for  the  journalists  members  of  Ag-Press  network.  This 

7 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_3162 

4 

 
 
 
 
demonstrated  how  EU  forests  contribute  to  the  economic,  environmental  and  societal 
objectives of the EU. 

In the course of 2022, the following Ag-Press webinars and events were organised: 

-  webinar on ‘How is the CAP performing? Lessons learnt for the new CAP’, 11 January 

2022; 

-  webinar on ‘Food security and resilience of food systems’, 23 March 2022; 

-  press trip to Brittany, France, 9 to 11 May 2022. The topic was ‘Eco-friendly agriculture 

models’; 

-  press trip to South Bohemia, Czech Republic, 23 to 25 November 2022. The topic was ‘EU 

food quality policy and innovation in agriculture’. 

Website 

The website continued also to be an important source of specialist information on agriculture and 
rural  development.  The  reporting  period  saw  important  changes  to  the  Commission's  web 
presence, designed to make it more user-friendly and relevant for the general public.  

The website incorporated more videos and graphics, including nine video clips on ‘Farmers of the 
Future’  in  2021  and  eight  video  clips  on  the  ‘winners  of  the  EU  Organic  awards’  in  2022  on 
YouTube and Europa AV portal.  

Production  and  dissemination  of  communication  material,  including  the  multilingual  podcasts 
Food for Europe, revamping the overview webpage and promoting the episodes on social media 
channels. 

In 2022, a new web section with supporting factsheets on ‘food security and food supply’ has been 
created in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, featuring the measures that the Commission 
took to safeguard global food security and to support EU farmers.  

Social media 

DG AGRI continued to use social media to inform citizens and stakeholders on all aspects of DG 
AGRI activities.  

In 2021, an emphasis was put on raising awareness of DG AGRI priorities by engaging specific 
audiences with targeted activities, notably: 

-  organised an Instagram contest on Geographical Indications targeted to food and cooking 

enthusiasts; 

-  developed a Facebook and Twitter campaign for the launch of the Food for Europe podcast, 

focused on organic agriculture; 

-  developed an organic campaign on Facebook and Instagram on the new CAP eco- schemes; 

- 

launch  of  the  EU  Organic  Day  on  23  September  2021  featured  the  NextGenerationEU 
campaign’s  tagline  Make  it  real,  Make  it  green  complemented  by  Make  it  organic  and 
using  the  visual  branding  in  the  communication  products,  thus  aligning  with  the 
NextGenerationEU campaign branding and messaging, with its focus, in particular, on the 
green and digital transformation, and also health, resilience and equality.  

5 

 
 
Most notable social media activities in 2022 were: 

-  Social media campaign ‘A taste of Europe’ on the geographical indications policy review 

(October-November 2022); 

-  Social  media  campaign  on  promoting  the  first  edition  of  the  #EUOrganic  Awards  and 

videos of the winners on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter; 

-  Promotion of the CAP Strategic Plans approvals – from August – December 2022.   

Conferences 

In this period, engaging with stakeholders and reaching out to the general public continued to be a 
priority  for  DG  AGRI’s  communication  actions.  Conferences  were  an  important  means  for 
consultation  and  the  exchange  of  information  and  ideas  on  vital  policy  issues  between  the 
Commission and a wide variety of stakeholders, at regional, national and international level.  

In 2021, three online or hybrid conferences were organised: 

-  The Agri-food Promotion Policy Review conference, Brussels, 12-13 July 2021 

This conference was part of a comprehensive consultation process, which facilitated the 
exchange of views  with  stakeholders and civil  society on the impact  of different  policy 
options being  considered as part of the ongoing  review of the EU promotion policy for 
agricultural  products.  The  conference,  together  with  the  wider  consultation  process, 
focused  on  how  promotion  policy  enhances  the  competitiveness  of  the  EU  agricultural 
sector while contributing to EU policy priorities, notably the Farm to Fork strategy and the 
Europe Beating Cancer Plan. Participants included a broad range of stakeholders, including 
producers,  trade  and  business  representatives,  NGOs,  academics  and  researchers.  The 
principal speakers included EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr 
Janusz Wojciechowski, Dr Jože Podgoršek, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, 
representing  the  Slovenian  Presidency  of  the  Council,  Mr  Herbert  Dorfmann  MEP,  co-
rapporteur  on  Farm  to  Fork  strategy,  and  Mr  Paolo  De  Castro  MEP,  Committee  on 
International Trade, as well as senior officials from the European Commission and World 
Health Organisation. 

-  The Farm to Fork conference, Brussels, 14-15 October 2021  

This was the second edition of what is envisaged as an annual event bringing together a 
broad  range  of  European  stakeholders  involved  in  advancing  towards  more  sustainable 
food systems.  The conference was hosted by the European Commissioner for Health & 
Food Safety, Ms. Stella Kyriakides, and the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. 
Janusz Wojciechowski. The European Commission Executive Vice-President, Mr. Frans 
Timmermans opened the Conference with a video message. 

The Farm to Fork conference 2021 focused on the progress made on the implementation 
of the Farm to Fork strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system. 
The event also provided a forum for discussion on the challenges and opportunities linked 
to the global transition to sustainable food systems, as well as on further thematic areas of 
intervention and on-going research and innovation efforts. 

6 

 
 
-  The 2021 Agricultural Outlook conference – Brussels, 9-10 December 2021 

The theme of the annual DG AGRI flagship event was resilience in EU agri-food systems 
and  rural  areas.  With  the  opening  address  by  Commissioner  Wojciechowski,  the 
conference also included a keynote speech by Vice-President Šuica. 

A broad range of stakeholders (producers, food industry, NGOs) joined researchers and 
agricultural foresight and innovation experts from the EU and international organisations 
including the FAO and UN Environmental Programme to examine and exchange on the 
situation of the agricultural markets, the impact of the pandemic and the contribution of 
the reformed CAP to the green transition. As is customary, there was also a strong focus 
on  the  work  undertaken  jointly  with  the  Joint  Research  Centre  on  the  medium-term 
prospects for the EU agricultural markets. 

In 2022, two major conferences were organised: 

-  Rural Pact conference, Brussels, 15-16 June 2022   

Participants  representing  EU,  national,  and  regional  policy  makers  along  with  local 
authorities, social and economic stakeholders gathered for the first Rural Pact conference. 
The conference design was custom-built to foster collaborative work, a key enabler for the 
Rural  Pact.  Participants  agreed  on  the  governance  of  a  Rural  Pact  and  committed  to 
achieving the long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas. Over these two days, participants 
and members of the Rural Pact community started making commitments to make the EU’s 
rural areas stronger, more connected, resilient and prosperous by 2040. 

-  The 2022 EU Agricultural Outlook conference – Brussels, 8-9 December 2022  

The headline of the annual DG AGRI flagship event was ‘A sustainable agri-food system 
forged in  crises’. The  conference kicked off  with  an opening  address  by  Commissioner 
Wojciechowski. Through interventions from  senior representatives from  EU bodies and 
international organisations, panel discussions, and inspiring examples, this future-oriented 
event  gathered  farmers,  agri-food  experts  and  rural  actors  to  discuss  topical  issues,  in 
addition  to  examining  medium-term  outlook  for  agricultural  markets,  income  and 
environment, with a 2032 horizon.  

Fairs and events 

Due to the pandemic, DG AGRI did not participate in the planned agricultural fairs for 2021, which 
were either cancelled or digitalised in a format not suited for DG AGRI’s  participation (Berlin, 
Paris and Santarém), or due to restrictions of missions in the European Commission (Slovenia). 

In 2022, the Internationale Grüne Woche fair in Berlin was cancelled due to the pandemic.  

DG AGRI together with DG SANTE participated at  the Salon international de l’agriculture in 
Paris from 26 February to 6 March 2022. The two DGs were joined by DG DEFIS to illustrate the 
contribution of the EU’s satellite programmes to precision farming techniques.  
DG AGRI participated at the Open Day in Brussels on the occasion of 9th May celebrations. The 
stand included activities on the new CAP and tasting of GI products.  

As  part  of  the  outreach  to  target  audiences  in  Member  States,  DG  AGRI  was  present  at  two 
agricultural fairs: Země živitelka 2022 in Czechia from 25 to 30 August 2022 and Agroshow 2022 

7 

 
 
in Poland from 23 to 25 September 2022. Main topics were the new common agricultural policy 
and geographical indications.   

Expo Dubai 2020 event ‘European Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategy: how innovation can 
support the transition towards global sustainable food system’ was organised on 19 February 2022 
by  DGs  AGRI,  SANTE  and  RTD.  The  event  was  hosted  in  the  French  pavilion  at  EXPO  and 
inaugurated  by  Commissioners  Wojciechowski  and  Kyriakides.  The  conference  underlined  the 
importance of sustainable global food system and highlighted the role that multi-lateral and multi-
actor research and innovation projects can play in the transition towards sustainable food systems.  

The EU Organic Awards ceremony was organised for the first time in 2022 and took place on 23 
September on the EU Organic Day in Brussels. Eight individual awards for seven categories were 
awarded  during  the  event  that  was  opened  by  Commissioner  Wojciechowski.  The  EU  organic 
awards  acknowledge  people,  businesses  and  institutions  that  have  developed  innovative, 
sustainable projects around organic food and farming. 

On 26 September 2022 DG AGRI organised Seminar on Geographical Indications (GIs) at the 
Smaki  Regionow  fair  in  Poznan,  Poland.  The  target  audience  were  producers  present  at  the 
Agroshow fair and a concurrent one (Polagra) starting on the same day. The event was carried out 
in cooperation with the Polish Ministry of Agriculture. The programme included presentations on 
GIs,  CAP  strategic  plan  support  for  setting  up  GIs  in  Poland,  as  well  as  testimonies  from 
representatives of Polish GI producers. 

The EU school scheme fit for the future event that was organised in Brussels on 24 November 
2022 brought together participants representing national authorities and stakeholders from across 
Member States, discussing about the EU school scheme challenges in the context of the review 
and the societal, economic and environmental aspects of sustainability. The event provided the 
opportunity for the Commission to present preliminary findings from the evaluation of the public 
consultations  and  gather  views  and  suggestions  on  preliminary  proposals  under  the  impact 
assessment. 

Farming’s  got  talent!  Vocational  education  and  training  for  agriculture  in  transition  was 
organised  in  Brussels  on  24  November  2022.  The  event  brought  together  teachers,  students, 
training providers and other EU and national level actors to highlight the role vocational education 
and training can play in creating a farming sector that is ready for the green and digital transition.  

Publications 

As before, there was a continued focus on the further development of publications in electronic 
forms. Limited stock of key paper publications was ensured mainly to be distributed during events, 
at some conferences and by EU networks, through Europe Direct Centres and Representations, for 
example.  

Eurobarometer 

In 2022, a Eurobarometer survey was carried out as part of the regular tracking of EU citizens' 
perceptions  on  agriculture  and  the  CAP.  The  three  objectives  of  the  CAP  ranked  highest  by 
Europeans  in  that  survey  –  securing  a  stable  supply  of  food  in  the  EU  at  all  times,  ensuring 
sustainable management of natural resources  and reasonable food prices for consumers  – show 
continuity with earlier surveys as regards securing foody supply and the importance of protecting 
the environment while also reflecting the impact of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine 

8 

 
 
on food affordability. A majority of Europeans considers the CAP fulfils its objectives and that it 
benefits all citizens, not only farmers8. 

Evaluation  

An external evaluation of DG AGRI’s external communication policy was launched in 2019, and 
the evaluation’s external support study was published on 4 March 20219.  

The study’s findings and recommendations were taken on board in preparing DG AGRI’s External 
Communication  Strategy  for  the  period  2021-2025.  The  external  study  also  informed  the 
preparation  of  the  Staff  Working  Document  on  the  evaluation  of  CAP  information  measures 
carried out in 2021 and published on 7 December 2021 (SWD(2021) 385 final). 

3)  Corporate communication 

The immediate economic hardship of the coronavirus crisis and the long-term green and digital 
transition of the world economy impact heavily on all three general objectives of the EAGF and 
the EAFRD. This  is  one of the reasons  for the thematic focus of the corporate communication 
campaign NextGenEU. Launched by DG COMM on 11 May 2021, the campaign shows how the 
EU is making Europe healthier, greener and more digital, and how everyone can be part of that 
change. In this campaign, there is thus a strong focus on the European Green Deal objectives. 

In 2021 - 2022, the NextGenEU communication campaign featured the ambition towards a zero 
pollution  and  low  carbon  economy,  organic  farming,  the  importance  of  pollinators  for  our 
agricultural  sector,  biodiversity,  sustainable  bovine  farming,  the  promotion  of  a  healthy  and 
diverse diet, the transformative role of digitisation, and sustainable infrastructure projects in rural 
areas.  

On 19 September 2022, the Commission launched the campaign You are EU, which makes a link 
between the energy transition and EU values in this period of crisis due to the war in Ukraine. This 
initiative complements Member States’ national communication activities on energy saving. The 
campaign  combines  classic  advertising  channels  such  as  billboards  and  radio  with  digital 
advertising, so as  to  maximise its reach within the EU population,  specifically targeting young 
Europeans and families. 

The campaign message is related to the objectives of the CAP. Promoting the energy transition 
serves the general objectives of both funds to support and strengthen environmental protection, 
including biodiversity, and climate action and to contribute to achieving the environmental and 
climate-related objectives of the Union, including its commitments under the Paris Agreement.  

8 

9  

Eurobarometer Special Report 520 published in June 2022 Europeans, Agriculture and the CAP - June 2022 
- - Eurobarometer survey (europa.eu) 
Evaluation support study on the information policy on the Common Agricultural Policy - Publications Office 
of the EU (europa.eu) 

9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
IV.  THE  PROPORTION  OF  SPENDING  (COMMITMENTS  AND  PAYMENTS) 
BETWEEN  CO-FINANCED  ACTIONS  AT  THE  INITIATIVE  OF  THIRD 
PARTIES (GRANTS) AND INFORMATION ACTIONS AT THE INITIATIVE OF 
THE COMMISSION (PUBLIC PROCUREMENT)10  

All figures in EUR 

Grants 

2021 

Public 
procurement 

2022 

Total 

Grants 

Public 
procurement 

Total 

Actual budget  

4.045.420 

3.850.000 

8.000.000 

4.000.000 

4.000.000 

8.000.000 

Commitments+ 
Co-Delegation (*) 

3.973.432 

3.409.287 

7.382.720 

4.189.258 

3.810.742 

8.000.000 

(**) 

(**) 

% of consumption 

98,22% 

88,55% 

92,28% 

104,73% 

95,27% 

100,00% 

Payments 

3.635.970 

2.514.856 

6.150.826 

% of payment vs. 
Commitment/Co-
Delegation (*) 

91,51% 

73,76% 

83,31% 

N/A 
 (***) 

N/A 
 (***) 

N/A 
 (***) 

N/A 
 (***) 

N/A 
 (***) 

N/A 
 (***) 

(*) Figures including commitments level 1 or 2 as well as budget spent by co-delegated entities. 

(**) Based on DG AGRI's external communication action plan amendment. 

(***) Payments of these actions are ongoing and not yet finalised. 

Payments are generally lower than the amounts originally committed. In the case of grants, this 
can be explained by the fact that final costs of the actions are lower than initially foreseen by the 
beneficiary, and secondly, because not all expenses declared by the beneficiaries can be considered 
as eligible. In the case of actions taken at the initiative of the Commission, the difference between 
payments  and  commitments  arises  from  the  fact  that,  while  commitments  are  fixed,  actual 
expenditure is less than that foreseen due to savings and the use of more cost-effective measures 
during implementation. 

10 

EUR 18.091.000  –  codelegated  to  DG  Communication  in  2021  and  2022  for  corporate  communication 
activities is not included in this table. 

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
V.  CONCLUSION  

Information measures carried out in relation to the common agricultural policy during 2021 and 
2022  were  focused  on  the  policy  review  and  its  capacity  to  better  respond  to  the  emerging 
economic,  environmental  and  social  challenges.  Communication  activities  focussed  on  CAP 
contribution to objectives of the Green Deal, the Climate Pact, the Farm to Fork Strategy as well 
as  to  food  security  and  resilience  in  view  of  the  Russian  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine. 
Measures also included communications to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the 
agri-food sector and assist in its recovery, including the implementation of the European Union 
Recovery Instrument. 

11