Ahead of today's anticipated release of both the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the next €1.2 trillion EU budget, MEP Nina Carberry has slammed any attempt to merge agriculture funding with other priorities such as cohesion, infrastructure or defence.

Yesterday (Tuesday, July 15), Agriland reported that It looks likely that the new budget for the European Union, known as the Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF), will condense funding for the CAP into one single fund.

In documents seen by Agriland, it is stated that 2024-2029 Political Guidelines of the European Commission call for a CAP that is “more targeted and finds the right balance between incentives, investment and regulation and ensures that farmers have a fair and sufficient income”.

The commission proposal outlines that “the new framework guarantees coherence by integrating the CAP interventions from the current two-funds structure under one single umbrella. Such alignment brings further flexibility and simplification,” it stated.

The proposal also stressed that by bringing cohesion policy and the CAP under a single programming approach, member states will have “a wider toolbox to address the challenges faced by farmers and communities in rural areas”.

CAP

MEP Nina Carberry, who is a member of the European Parliament’s Budget Committee, which must approve the next long-term EU Budget before it can take effect, insists that any move towards a simplified, centralised mega-fund will be firmly rejected by the parliament.

“The CAP must remain a standalone and strengthened budget line. That’s why I tabled key amendments to the parliament’s position on the Multiannual Financial Framework to ensure stability and predictability for the farming sector, with a dedicated, ring-fenced financing mechanism for agriculture," the Fine Gael MEP said.

Working closely with Siegfried Mureșan, the parliament’s chief negotiator on the EU’s long-term budget, Carberry has dismissed the idea of single national plans.

She warned that watering down the CAP would amount to a core breach of the EU’s obligations under the Treaties.

“The parliament has made its position clear - we will reject any attempt by the [European] Commission to pool agricultural and rural support into a single financial instrument.

Given that the long-term EU budget requires both unanimity from member states and a majority in the European Parliament, Carberry argues this will give the parliament "significant leverage" to block any attempt to force through major structural changes without proper oversight.