European ministers, gathered in Luxembourg for the EU Agriculture Council on October 21 and 22, failed to reach unanimous agreement on the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2027.
On the second day of the meeting, the Hungarian presidency of the EU adopted the text on the table as the "EU presidency conclusions," supported by 26 countries, without Romania.
The conclusions from the governments represent the ministers' policy recommendations to the European Commission, which needs to present the legislative proposal for the new CAP post-2027 by the summer as part of the discussions on the next long-term financial framework.
The ministers reiterated the need to preserve the CAP's "independent, common" policy structure, maintaining its two-pillar structure, which includes direct aid to farmers and rural development funds.
"Support for farmers cannot be reduced; farmers must not lose resources, as any cuts would jeopardize Europe's food security," said Hungarian Agriculture Minister István Nagy in a press conference following the meeting.
The ministers emphasized that the Agricultural Policy "should continue to exist as a common strategic policy tool, particularly in light of its irreplaceable contribution to food security in Europe and the world," in the conclusion.
Without prejudging discussions on the next multiannual financial framework, the ministers reaffirmed that "dedicated and appropriate resources and tools are necessary for the CAP to effectively respond to its multiple objectives and that a fair distribution of CAP support, particularly direct payments, among Member States is a sensitive issue that requires an adequate solution." "We want to avoid a scenario that would abolish the dedicated nature of CAP funds, a policy dedicated to farmers," he added, addressing the idea of centralizing budgetary funds, including those for Cohesion and the CAP. This position was also supported by Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski, who welcomed the insistence of governments on not conditioning CAP funds on "external factors," such as adherence to the rule of law or the implementation of reforms.
"It is essential that it remains an independent and common policy for farmers," stated the Polish commissioner.
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