Farmers' lobby COPA/COGECA has given a broad welcome to a new Commission document on the CAP, but argues that more funding is needed to realise the vision.
The Commission's statement on the roadmap is here: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_530
The farmers state: 'Today, the European Commission
unveiled a key communication, long trailed by Ursula von der Leyen, outlining
the EU’s vision for agriculture and food policy. This roadmap represents a
pragmatic reset based on relevant analysis and grounded observations and
proposes an ambitious catalog of future work strands. However, it fails to
address the elephant in the room: the future CAP budget and the resources
needed to finance this package of measures.
In its assessment of the current situation, the Commission
appears to have regained its bearings in agricultural policy and is now
speaking a different language. The importance of agriculture—its role and
vulnerabilities—within the current geopolitical context is now fully
acknowledged. Commissioner Hansen’s approach rightly repositions agriculture as
a key strategic asset and a pillar of European sovereignty. Farmers are also
recognized as entrepreneurs and innovators who play a crucial role in
addressing climate challenges, protecting the environment, supporting the
bioeconomy, and contributing to society as a whole. The Commission has also
correctly diagnosed the sector’s demographic and economic fragilities, bringing
the issues of farm income, competitiveness, innovation, cooperation and
generational renewal back to the fore.
Political will, starting with a focus on simplification, also
forms part of the picture. We welcome the need for stricter alignment of
production standards for imported goods, particularly concerning plant
protection products and animal welfare based on stronger and more comprehensive
impact assessments, which should be published prior to any major trade
decisions. The principle of ‘no bans without viable alternatives’ for plant
protection products is explicitly stated, as is the need for a renewed approach
toward the livestock sector.
Yet despite these positive elements, today’s announcement
misses a fundamental part of the equation. In the current context, it is
impossible to ignore the ongoing debate over CAP financing in the next Multiannual
Financial Framework (MFF). Last week, Copa Cogeca warned of the dangers of
merging funds and establishing single budgetary national plans. However,
today’s vision makes no mention of the CAP budget and references to the second
pillar and its funding are simply absent from the final version of the
communication. The complementarity between the EAGF delivering on support and
the EAFRD facilitating multiannual measures and investment is crucial for the
sector and must be maintained.
Let’s be clear: ambitions and proposals will amount to little
without a robust CAP. One which supports active farmers - regardless the size -
and is backed by an increased budget in the post-2027 MFF. This budget must
include automatic corrections for inflation and the growing responsibilities
placed on agriculture. Without this, Europe’s farming communities will face
significant challenges, and the vision for the sector’s future risks becoming a
hollow promise.
