Promoting autonomous and sustainable food production: strategies for the Common Agricultural Policy post-2027

Context

The Belgian presidency urges an exploratory opinion on a more flexible and efficient CAP post-2027 to enhance food supply autonomy The current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) period, marked by COVID-19 and Russia's aggression, highlights the crucial role of European farmers in ensuring food availability. The war in Ukraine poses challenges to agricultural stability, emphasizing the need for climate-resilient agri-food systems. With elections approaching, the opinion aims to guide the future CAP, addressing the needs of civil society and society's expectations. The EU, dominated by family and small-scale farms, faces declining income, inflation, and a diminishing farming workforce. The CAP, launched in 1962, evolved to promote productivity, fair living standards, market stability, and environmental sustainability. The CAP budget share decreased from 65.5% in 1980 to less than 25% in 2021.

Key points

In the opinion, the EESC:

  • advocates for a post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) focused on stable, long-term sustainability, ensuring EU autonomy, protecting farming diversity, addressing societal and ecological needs, and promoting rural development.
  • insists on proportional funding to align with sustainability goals, while the CAP's share of the EU budget steadily decreased to under 25% in 2021. It advocates transitioning from surface-based income support to financial incentives for environmental and social services, allowing a reasonable period, possibly beyond a single multiannual financial framework.
  • to halt the decline in EU farm numbers, initiatives are crucial. These include promoting generational renewal with land access, raising farm earnings, favourable investment conditions, empowering women, ensuring good labour conditions, enhancing long-term prospects, and promoting sustainable use of abandoned or marginal land and extensive livestock breeding.

 

Rapporteur:  Stoyan TCHOUKANOV ( Diversity Europe Group - GR III / Bulgaria)

Reference: https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-11/cap-expenditure-graph1_en.pdf

Date of the section meeting: 19 December 2

Results of the section meeting vote : 43 votes in favour, 4 against and 2 abstentions

Date of adoption at the EESC plenary session:  14 December 2023

Results of the plenary session vote: x in favour, x against,x abstention

 

Contacts