Reform the Common Agricultural Policy
About the CAP
As the European Commission unveiled its next long-term budget for 2028–2034, a new reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is on the horizon. This reform is not just another policy update, it will shape how we farm, eat, and care (or not) for our environment for years to come.
The CAP is the EU legislation which determines the funding and priorities of the food production sector. Last updated in 2021, it uses up a third of the EU’s budget and will have distributed nearly €270 billion to over 6 million farmers from 2023-2027.
Historically, the CAP has channeled billions of euros into propping up factory farms, exploitation and climate devastation. With its last reform, the EU promised a “greener and fairer CAP”. In reality, it failed to support a transition towards more agroecological and sustainable models, it failed to address the loss of small- and medium-sized farmers, the low prices of their production and their low incomes, the concentration of production.
Calling for change
To transition to a truly fair and green food production model, Friends of the Earth Europe, as part of the Nyéléni Europe network, have long-called for several fundamental changes to the way the EU produces and distributes food. We call for a farming system that looks like:
Securing this future for food production requires an overhaul in the existing agriculture sector. That is why we are joining forces with many other groups which are calling for change.
- Together with 97 organisations across 13 countries, led by the Good Food Good Farming alliance, we are calling for a reformed CAP that integrates robust market regulation, reorients subsidies towards public goods and sustainable practices, foster generational renewal and support for young farmers, and advances gender, social and environmental justice.
- We support the WeMove petition encouraging citizens to have their say on the CAP reform – for a farming that feeds people not profits.
- We work together with farmers who pioneer a different food system, advocating for a system in which they all receive a fair income for the vital work they do, and public support if they help protect the environment.
As pressure mounts to ‘simplify’ the CAP, we remain clear: deregulation is not the answer. People, farmers, communities need strong environmental and social rules to protect them from damaging practices.
Farming that feeds people, not profits
Sign the petition!
We call on the EU to reform CAP and create an agricultural policy that:
- Ensures that prices paid to farmers cover production costs, including paying decent salaries and social security contributions — so that they can afford to transition towards more sustainable practices such as organic farming, and adapt in the face of climate and biodiversity crises.
- Redirects subsidies to farmers who produce food while taking care of nature and respecting social and labour rights, and who most need the support — public money can no longer line the pockets of corporations that are damaging the planet and people.
- Ensures healthy, sustainable food is made accessible for all — allowing people to truly choose the food they eat and grow, without hidden costs to health, well-being and the planet.
Sign now to demand real action, not greenwashing! Public money should serve farmers and and consumers, not agribusiness profits.
Find more information on the petition on WeMove’s website.
News and publications
30/11/21
Educating young organic farmers
Shall we be concerned by the decline of organic farmers? Are young people interested by this ungrateful work? In that regard, how can Germany inspire …
24/11/21
MEPs give final go to reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy
The European Parliament greenlighted the reforms for a new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on its plenary voting session in Strasbourg. A majori …
26/10/21
Heated autumn for European food and farming policies’ reforms
October was accompanied by many interesting and heated discussions about the future of European farming in Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg. While …
Contact
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Stanka BechevaFood & farming campaigner
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