The future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will be a key issue in negotiations over the European Union’s next long-term budget, with agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen warning that weakening support for farming would risk damaging Europe’s food security.
Speaking as Ireland took over the presidency of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AgriFish), Mr Hansen said he was 'glad that Ireland is in the driving seat' during discussions on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) covering 2028–2034.
He said he was 'quite confident' Ireland would help secure a positive outcome for agriculture funding negotiations, describing the CAP as essential to maintaining a productive, sustainable and resilient food system.
Responding to criticism that agricultural support is outdated, Mr Hansen said: “To those who are saying that the agriculture policy [Common Agricultural Policy] is a policy of the past, then I would ask them – what are you going to eat in the future?”
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He argued that Europe’s ability to produce food domestically remained strategically important, particularly given global uncertainty and the need to reduce reliance on external suppliers.
“It is not the agriculture policy that is too expensive, it is its absence that would be way more expensive,” Mr Hansen said, highlighting the importance of supporting healthy diets and maintaining European food production standards.
He added: “I think we best produce it domestically as well because here we have the conditions and the standards, how products are produced under control.”
The commissioner said the CAP should evolve rather than be dismantled, adding: “Even if some people are a little bit looking down on the CAP, I think we need to take it further and not destroy it.”
The next EU budget will determine the level of support available to farmers after 2028, with agriculture competing against other priorities for funding. Mr Hansen said CAP investment was central to improving farm productivity while delivering environmental and social objectives.
He said: “The MFF and CAP funding are driving investment in agriculture to become more productive and more sustainable at the same time.”
Ireland’s minister for agriculture, food and the marine Martin Heydon said securing progress on the MFF would be a priority during Ireland’s presidency.
The discussions come as European farmers continue to call for greater certainty over future agricultural policy, with concerns around profitability, regulation and the cost of meeting sustainability targets.
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