The Council of the European Union has approved a partial negotiating position on the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) as part of discussions on the EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework for the 2028-2034 period.
This agreement reached by the agriculture ministers of the Member States does not yet cover financial aspects or limits on income support linked to the area of individual farms. The rest of the position establishes the basis for continuing negotiations on the future CAP.
The proposal aims for the new EU policy to contribute to maintaining food production, strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of the agricultural sector, and improving its capacity to address future challenges.
Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, said the agreed position should provide farmers with “the stability and predictability they need”, while allowing Member States to adapt measures to their national and regional circumstances.
A new framework for EU funds
The future CAP would be incorporated into a new financial planning model. The proposal envisages grouping existing EU funds, including CAP support, under a National and Regional Partnership Plan (NRPP).
Each Member State would draw up a single comprehensive plan to replace the current separate plans and programmes covering areas such as cohesion, agriculture, fisheries, migration and security, as well as the Social Climate Fund.
To ensure continued support for the agricultural sector during the next programming period, the proposal envisages reserving around €300 billion to support farmers’ incomes and CAP crisis measures.
The future policy would also include a safety net to respond to potential market disruptions, aimed at strengthening farmers’ capacity to cope with adverse situations.
Support for farmers and generational renewal
The Council’s position maintains the objective of preserving a common and coherent framework across the European Union, while giving Member States room to adapt the implementation of EU objectives to their own circumstances.
Heydon argued that the new CAP should focus on active farmers, support the entry of younger generations into the sector and strengthen farmers’ ability to deal with risks and crises.
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“It’s an important step towards ensuring that the CAP continues to respond to farmers’ needs, supports rural communities and safeguards food security for all Europeans,” the Irish minister said.
Planas welcomes Spain’s position
Spain’s Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, expressed his satisfaction with the partial agreement reached by the 27 Member States after more than 12 hours of negotiations.
Planas said the agreement reflects “the main lines defended by Spain”, which had previously been agreed with professional agricultural organisations, cooperatives and the autonomous communities.
The approved position therefore represents another step in the negotiations on the future CAP, although important issues remain unresolved, particularly those concerning funding and limits on area-based payments.
