CAP 2028–2034: Socialists and EPP move closer to a dedicated plan to protect farmers

Brussels – The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform for the period 2028–2034 is bringing the Socialists and the People’s Party closer together in the European Parliament, with the former calling for a consensus on the need to turn the European Commission’s proposal into a common position to protect farmers. Democratic Party MEPs Cristina Maestre and Dario Nardella welcome the rapporteur’s change of stance from the European People’s Party (EPP), which is now willing to challenge the European Commission’s approach to the future of agricultural funding. 

At the heart of the dispute lies the funding and governance model proposed by the Commission, which envisages integrating agricultural policy resources into the National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs), alongside other European funds. An approach which, according to the Socialists, risks weakening the common character of agricultural policy, jeopardising the resources earmarked for rural development and increasing uncertainty for farmers. “The future of the CAP is too important to be reduced to political compromises that offer farmers promises without credible guarantees,” warns Nardella, who believes the Commission’s proposal fails to provide the necessary safeguards for rural communities.

To overcome these challenges, Socialist MEPs are calling for the introduction of a dedicated CAP plan within the NRPPs, accompanied by three guarantees: safeguarding funding for rural development, preserving the autonomy of agricultural policy, and a robust governance framework to ensure legal certainty and predictable support. The aim is to ensure that the commitments made at the European level translate into resources that are actually available to the sector.

“Now that we share the same assessment, we urge them to take a further step and support a plan dedicated to the common agricultural policy, as set out in my amendment,” Maestre said, noting that the Socialists have advocated this solution since the start of the negotiations. “The time has come to turn words into action and to demonstrate, through concrete commitments, who is truly willing to defend European agriculture,” concludes the Spanish MEP.