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The main organization representing farmers and cooperatives in the EU, Copa-Cogeca, has expressed deep concern over the European Commission’s proposal to merge agricultural funds into a single instrument, eliminating the historical pillars of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP): the EAGF and the EAFRD.
During the Praesidium meetings held last week, more than one hundred industry representatives warned that this measure would lead to fragmentation of the single market and jeopardize food production, sustainability, and the stability of rural areas. Copa President Massimiliano Giansanti emphasized: “There is no security without food security.” Meanwhile, Cogeca President Lennart Nilsson called for stability and sufficient funding to address the multiple transitions required by the sector.
This concern had already been expressed in an open letter sent on April 16 to the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. In the letter, Copa-Cogeca warned that modifying the structure of the CAP could undermine not only the competitiveness of the agricultural sector but also the EU’s economic and social security.
Ahead of the presentation of the next Multiannual Financial Framework in July, the organization is requesting that the CAP budget be maintained in line with inflation and that a flexible mechanism be created to allow adjustment to actual inflation rates.
In the absence of clear responses, Copa-Cogeca has announced mobilizations in the coming weeks to defend the future of European agriculture.
April 25, 2025/ Copa-Cogeca.
