Recital (43)

Article 119(4) of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 provides for approval by the Commission of requests for amendments of CAP Strategic Plans submitted by Member States. Article 119(9) of that Regulation enables Member States to make and apply modifications to the elements of their CAP Strategic Plans pertaining to interventions referred to in Title III, Chapter IV, of that Regulation. Those modifications are included in the next request for amendment of the CAP Strategic Plans to be approved by the Commission. Experience has shown that, even where they do not change the strategic orientation of the CAP Strategic Plans, the amendments often contain numerous technical elements that render them complex and onerous for Member States, and result in delays in the approval procedures. This interferes with the timely and effective adaptation of CAP Strategic Plans to the changing economic realities and to the needs of farmers and other beneficiaries in Member States and negatively impacts the implementation of those CAP Strategic Plans. To simplify and improve the efficiency of amendment procedures, in particular regarding elements of the CAP Strategic Plans that are not of strategic nature, approval by the Commission should be required only for strategic amendments of CAP Strategic Plans. For that purpose, strategic amendments should be defined in Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 as amendments of important elements of the CAP Strategic Plans that significantly impact the strategy and intervention logic of those plans, including transfers of financial allocations between the EAFRD and the EAGF, maximum and minimum financial allocations, and changes to target and financial plans. Member States should be able to make and apply all other amendments to their CAP Strategic Plans upon notifying them to the Commission. Those amendments should not be subject to the Commission approval.