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OPINION (2024/2110(BUI))

On guidelines for the 2026 budget – Section III

AGRI-AD-766757

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development · Rapporteur: Dario Nardella

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The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development calls for increased CAP funding in the 2026 budget, opposing cuts and inflation-driven reductions, and urges more funds for research, innovation, digitalisation, generational renewal, and crisis management.

Committee position. The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development proposes amendments to the 2026 budget guidelines, calling for increased CAP funding, crisis reserve strengthening, and support for farmers.

Key points

  1. Highlights the CAP's role in providing safe, healthy, affordable food and fair incomes, and calls for increased 2026 CAP budget to address rural challenges like depopulation.
  2. Requests that CAP spending exceeding climate and biodiversity targets be used for CAP objectives, and asks the Commission to fund nature objectives outside the CAP.
  3. Upholds promotion of EU agricultural products, especially wine and high-quality products, and stresses the need for adequate promotion-policy budget.
  4. Calls for a stronger, more flexible agricultural reserve with adequate funding, and for a comprehensive crisis management strategy for each major sector.
  5. Opposes cuts to pre-allocated CAP funds, demands increases at least matching cumulative inflation, and insists that revenue from irregularities stays in agriculture heading.
  6. Underlines that 2024 simplification measures must be the starting point for the next CAP reform.
  7. Calls for increased funding for research and innovation in agriculture, including climate mitigation, precision agriculture, and renewable energy, with less bureaucracy.
  8. Highlights digitalisation's role in rural development, calls for improved broadband and digitalised administrative processes, and for training for farmers.
  9. Urges action to address farm loss and labour shortages, promoting generational renewal, access to land and finance, and proposes a monitoring indicator.
  10. Calls for EU programmes to safeguard jobs, ensure workers' rights, and combat poverty in rural areas.
  11. Regrets real-term decreases in direct payments due to inflation, calls for adequate resources and a more flexible deflator in the next MFF.
  12. Requests that unspent 2014-2022 rural development funds be spent by 31 December 2026, derogating from N+3 rules.

Who is affected

  • Farmers, particularly active, small-scale, young, and those in outermost regions, will benefit from increased CAP funding and support.
  • EU institutions and Member States are urged to address labour shortages and promote generational renewal in rural areas.
  • The agri-food sector faces challenges from inflation, trade agreements, and geopolitical tensions, requiring protective measures.

Figures and deadlines

  • Over 70 % of Eurobarometer respondents support the CAP.
  • Funds should be increased by at least the equivalent of cumulative inflation since the start of the current budget period.
  • Unspent resources of 2014-2022 rural development plans to be spent by 31 December 2026.
  • POSEI budget has not been increased since 2013; a 2 % deflator is requested.

Legal basis: Article 39 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union