European farmers to demonstrate over CAP budget
Farm organisations are planning to take to the streets next week to voice their concerns over European Commission proposals to reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budget.
Copa Cogeca, the umbrella organisation representing farmers and agricultural cooperatives, confirmed that the 'pan-European flash action' will take place in Brussels on Tuesday, May 20.
The organisation said it will support the protest which is being organised by Belgian national farmers' organisations, FWA/UAW and BoerenBond.
The demonstration will coincide with the Annual EU Budget Conference 2025 where the next long-term union budget will be discussed.
According to the EU Commission, this conference will 'bring together a wide array of stakeholders to rethink a future budget with the union policy priorities at the centre by making it more focused, simpler and impactful'.
CAP
However, Copa Cogeca has said that there is 'no clear answer' on how the commission intends to include agriculture in its upcoming budget.
'The EU budget is not just a technical discussion — it is a key political issue, particularly for agriculture.
'At a time when EU faces overlapping challenges — from geopolitical instability and economic/legal uncertainty to climate change and shifting global trade — one thing is clear: food security is security,' the group said.
Copa Cogeca warned that 'without a clear and protected budget line to support the EU agricultural framework, European agricultural policy could collapse like a house of cards'.
The group reiterated that it cannot accept the dissolution of the CAP into a single fund or any move toward further renationalisation.
It will also not agree to 'a rushed proposal' for the next CAP presented in July alongside the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), 'especially without clarity on resources, governance, or proper consultation with the agricultural sector'.
'The proposal to centralise EU funding into a single fund may offer some budgetary flexibility, but it risks dissolving the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) into a broader framework with less focus, fewer guarantees, and no shared vision.
'Replacing the two-pillar CAP with a single national programming model would weaken the single market, delay essential investments, and create significant disparities between member states — all while threatening farmers' incomes, undermining sustainability, and jeopardising the stability of the agri-food chain, even beyond EU borders,' it said.
Copa Cogeca is calling for a 'renewed commitment' from the commission, including 'a dedicated and safeguarded CAP budget line, and an inflation-adjusted CAP budget in the next MFF'.
'The CAP must remain the backbone of the EU's food and agriculture strategy, as enshrined in the EU treaties — not just in rhetoric, but in its shared nature, robust structure, and dedicated financial resources,' it added.
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