During a meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers, France expressed concern over the European Commission's proposed budget for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) covering 2028 to 2034.
According to French representatives, the amounts planned "appear to be out of sync with the Commission's statements on the strategic importance of the agricultural sector for our sovereignty."
The European Commission has proposed a reform of the CAP in the next budget cycle. It includes a commitment to provide French farmers with a "minimum" of €51 billion (US$54.9 billion) in income support over seven years. Brussels has also stated that other European funds would be available at the discretion of member states.
In the current CAP framework, France receives about €9.3 billion (US$10 billion) annually, totaling €65 billion (US$69.9 billion) from 2021 to 2027. The Commission has argued that the two figures are not directly comparable, given changes in budget structure and allocations.
French lawmaker Annie Genevard stated: "I wish to express my deep incomprehension regarding the amount allocated to the guaranteed perimeter of the CAP in the European budget, and similarly, regarding the proposed national CAP envelope that would be allocated to France." The discussions highlight ongoing tensions between EU budget proposals and national expectations over agricultural funding.
Source: European News Room