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In recent months, the discussion on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has taken on a central role in the European institutions.
In Brussels, a growing number of member states are opposed to the idea of merging CAP funds with other programs in the next long-term EU budget (2028-2034). This proposal, put forward by the European Commission, has raised strong concerns among several governments, who fear a weakening of the strategic autonomy of the agricultural sector. From France to Belgium, via Austria and Luxembourg, many European capitals expressed their dissent during the last meeting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council. The idea of integrating the more than 500 currently separate programs, including the Cohesion funds and those for agriculture, into a single ‘national fund’ was rejected by numerous political representatives.
French Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard stressed the importance of maintaining a dedicated budget for the CAP, with adequate resources to meet future challenges. According to Genevard, it is essential to preserve the “common character of the CAP” and avoid its inclusion in a single fund that could disperse resources for the agricultural sector. Italy also spoke out firmly against the merging of the CAP with other European funds. Undersecretary of State for Agriculture, Patrizio Giacomo La Pietra, reiterated the Italian government’s support for a “strong” CAP, with a separate budget and adequate resources. A position shared by Spanish Minister Luis Planas Puchades, according to whom the CAP must maintain “its own personality and a good financial endowment”. Other countries, such as Belgium and Austria, have expressed similar concerns. Belgian agriculture chief David Clarinval warned that any reduction in funds could compromise the strategic autonomy of the European agricultural sector. Austria, for its part, reiterated the need to maintain the CAP as a common policy, avoiding the risk of fragmentation into 27 separate national policies. Luxembourg and Greece also expressed their support for an independent CAP, stressing the importance of ensuring an autonomous budget that is not absorbed into a larger and less specific fund for agricultural needs. While many Member States have taken a clear position, Germany has not yet expressed a definitive opinion. The outgoing Minister of Agriculture, Cem Özdemir, attended his last ministerial meeting without officially speaking on the issue. The debate on the future of the CAP in Germany therefore remains pending, pending the formation of a new government that could influence the European agricultural budget in the coming years. For his part, the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, did not respond directly to the concerns raised by the various Member States. However, he said he was “fairly reassured” by the interventions he had heard and expressed confidence that the next CAP will have a sufficient budget. The idea of integrating agricultural funds into a broader financial container is of great concern to the sector. The CAP is an essential tool for supporting European farmers, ensuring market stability and preserving food security on the continent. If the funds dedicated to agriculture were to be merged with other programmes, there would be a risk of a dispersion of resources and a reduction in direct support to farmers. Furthermore, a reform that weakened the CAP could have negative consequences on innovation in the sector, on environmental sustainability and on the ability of Member States to address the challenges of climate change and global competitiveness.
The next multiannual financial framework of the EU will be defined in the coming months, with an official proposal expected in the summer. In the meantime, the debate on the CAP will continue to be central to the European political agenda. Countries opposed to the single fund will continue to make their voices heard to ensure that agriculture remains an independent priority in the EU budget. The position of states such as France, Italy, Spain, Belgium and Austria shows that there is a broad consensus on the need to preserve a separate budget for the CAP. However, it remains to be seen what the European Commission’s final position will be and what compromises may emerge in the course of the negotiations.
The Common Agricultural Policy is an essential component of the European economy and of the continent’s food security. The idea of bundling agricultural funds with those of other programmes risks weakening the entire sector, reducing support for farmers and compromising the EU’s strategic autonomy in food production. The growing opposition to this proposal by many Member States is a clear signal: the CAP must remain an independent policy, with dedicated resources and a structure that guarantees its effectiveness. In the coming months, discussions at European level will be crucial to determine the future of agriculture on the continent and to ensure that the sector’s needs are adequately taken into account in the next EU budget.
Alessandro Fiorentino