Watch: Farmers hold 'flash action' in Strasbourg over future of CAP
Farmers have gathered at the European Parliament building in Strasbourg this morning (Tuesday, October 21) as they rally against proposals for the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
The demonstration has been organised by Copa Cogeca, which represents EU farm organisations and agricultural co-operatives.
The demonstration takes place in Strasbourg today where this week's plenary session at the European Parliament in taking place.
The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) is one of Copa's member organisations, and IFA president Francie Gorman spoke at the protest in France.
He said: "If we don't have food security in Europe, talking about defence and what we're going to do in that regard means very little."
He said it is "very heartening" to be joined by colleagues from around Europe in taking action today.
📢 Copa Vice-Presidents Franck Sander 🇫🇷 & Francie Gorman 🇮🇪 are taking the stage.
— COPA-COGECA (@COPACOGECA) October 21, 2025
🗨️@gormanifa : "If we don't have food security in Europe, talking about defense means very very little"
📣@SanderFranck : " The Commission's proposals are unacceptable [...] with a 20% budget… pic.twitter.com/8jNqEqAbsw
Copa Cogeca said that the European Commission's plan to "dismantle" the CAP's two-pillar structure means there will be "no more commonality", along with "more complexity and administration burden" and "less predictability for farmers".
It warned that this approach poses a "threat to rural development and competitiveness".
The farmers gathered in Strasbourg this morning are urging MEPs to not "accept the unacceptable".
Irish MEP Ciaran Mullooly has warned of farmers going out of business as a result of the proposed new CAP payment system.
Speaking at the demonstration, Mullooly said: "Where I live in Ireland, small farmers rely on the single farm payment.
"If you reduce that payment, you take away their livelihood, you make it not worthwhile anymore - you put them out of business.
"Less payment will not produce more."
In July, the European Commission presented its proposal for the next CAP.
Copa Cogeca said this proposal is "unacceptable, as it crosses numerous red lines that jeopardise the future of the sector".
"Many members of the European Parliament share our concerns, both regarding the substance of the proposal and the unprecedented way in which these initiatives have been driven forward by the top of the European executive," the group said.
They said that MEPs and member states must not allow these "flawed proposals" to be pushed through.
