The Council of the European Union has unanimously approved a set of conclusions on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2027. These conclusions highlight the importance of a farmer-focused approach to achieve a competitive, sustainable, and crisis-resistant agricultural sector that prioritizes food security, the well-being of farmers, and reasonable consumer prices. The CAP is expected to continue playing a key role in ensuring food security while supporting the livelihoods of farmers, contributing to the green transition, and maintaining a stable food supply.
The conclusions emphasize that dedicated resources and instruments must be allocated to the CAP to efficiently meet its broad objectives. It calls for the preservation of a separate and independent CAP with two pillars: direct payments to farmers and rural development. These payments are critical for stabilizing farmers’ incomes, ensuring fair standards of living, and incentivizing sustainable agricultural practices. The CAP will also continue to play a vital role in supporting rural areas, ensuring their economic viability, and fostering long-term sustainability.
A key focus of the conclusions is the need to enhance the competitiveness of European agriculture. The Council recognizes that improving the functioning of the food supply chain is essential to ensure fair value distribution and greater transparency for farmers. By strengthening farmers’ positions in the food supply chain and ensuring that their incomes remain stable, the CAP will help maintain competitive and economically viable agricultural activities across the EU. In addition, addressing the aging farming population and promoting generational renewal is seen as a critical challenge. The conclusions advocate for more robust support for young farmers and new entrants into the sector to ensure that agriculture remains an attractive career for future generations.
The importance of supporting small farms and increasing female participation in agriculture are also highlighted as vital for the sustainability of rural areas. Investments in agricultural innovation and infrastructure are essential for enhancing both competitiveness and sustainability in the sector.
Another core element of the Council’s conclusions is the need for a farmer-friendly delivery model within the CAP. The Council calls for simpler procedures and reduced red tape to make the system more accessible to farmers. This includes streamlining the process for approving and amending national CAP strategic plans, as well as easing reporting obligations. The monitoring and evaluation systems should also be simplified and made more efficient, ensuring that control mechanisms do not impose excessive administrative burdens on farmers.
The green transition is identified as a central challenge, and the Council underscores that farmers must be provided with adequate incentives to adopt more sustainable practices. Balancing economic, social, and environmental sustainability is seen as essential to achieving the EU’s agricultural goals. As part of this transition, the CAP is expected to continue facilitating the move towards sustainable farming by providing the necessary financial and technical support to farmers.
The conclusions also acknowledge the growing threat of climate change, with the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, animal diseases, and plant pests affecting agricultural productivity. The Council recognizes that risk management tools and climate adaptation measures are crucial for ensuring the resilience of EU agriculture. More flexibility in using CAP instruments will be necessary to enable quicker responses to crises, such as extreme weather events, and to support farmers more effectively.
In terms of research and innovation, the Council stresses the importance of a knowledge-based approach to agriculture to meet climate and environmental objectives. Research and technological advancements will play a key role in making the farming sector more sustainable, while ensuring that EU citizens continue to have access to healthy, affordable food. The circular economy and bioeconomy are also highlighted as essential components in supporting the green transition within agriculture and forestry.
Looking ahead, the Council calls on the European Commission to consider these conclusions when preparing legislative proposals for the post-2027 CAP. These conclusions provide political guidance for shaping the future direction of European agriculture. The Commission is expected to integrate these conclusions into its Vision for agriculture and food, which will be published within the first 100 days of the new Commission’s term.
In conclusion, the Council’s approval of these conclusions marks a significant step in the ongoing process of reflecting on the future of EU agriculture. The conclusions demonstrate a unified stance among the 27 EU agriculture ministers, emphasizing the need for a competitive, farmer-friendly, and sustainable agricultural policy that ensures the viability of farming in the EU, fosters innovation, and contributes to the broader green transition.
