• The European Commission (EC) has presented the outlines of the future CAP, which will come into force in 2028.

• The new CAP is simplified by merging the two current funds, which will lead to national planning by Member States.

• The legislative proposal will now be submitted to the European Parliament and the Council for adoption. Spain is actively participating in the working and negotiation groups.

The European Commission ( EC ) has presented the outlines of the future CAP , which will come into force in 2028. The proposal seeks to strengthen the role of agriculture as a driving force in rural areas, ensuring stability, sustainability, and competitiveness in a context of climate change, generational change, digital transformation, and volatile markets.

The new CAP will maintain the current tools to ensure predictability, but introduces improvements to address the demanded simplification of its procedures and processes, and to adapt it to the real needs and ongoing challenges of the agricultural sector. Noteworthy: the two current funds, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development ( EAFRD ) and the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund ( EAGF ), will disappear. They will be integrated into the "European Fund for Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion, Agriculture and Rural Areas, Fisheries, Prosperity and Security ." This fund will be implemented through national planning by Member States, in an attempt to make the CAP more responsive to local and regional issues.

This includes the LEADER approach , which would remain in place, but within the National Partnership Plans, depending on the priorities of each Member State.

A European Competitiveness Fund (for innovation) and a Safety Net (for damages caused by disruptions to the agricultural market) will also be created.

Aid will be even more targeted at those farmers most in need, with special attention to young farmers, small farms, areas with natural limitations, and mixed models. Therefore, and as another new development, a maximum limit of €100,000 per farm will be established, and support for investments in modernization, diversification, and sustainability will be maintained.

PAC master keys post 2027

1. Budget and aid

• €865 billion: for the European Fund, which also includes cohesion, infrastructure, fisheries, and security policies, among others, funded by each state's national plans (such as rural projects, LEADER, and others).

• €300 billion for the CAP : €293.7 billion for income support and €6.3 billion for the crisis reserve

• The European Competitiveness Fund is created to finance innovation and research in the agricultural and agri-food sector.

2. Support for farmers

• Aid focused on active farmers.

• Priority for:

• Young farmers

• Small farms

• Mixed farms

• Areas with natural limitations

• Aid limit: maximum €100,000 per farm

• Support for investments in modernization, diversification, and sustainability continues.

3. More flexible and results-oriented management

• Merger of the two current funds to simplify execution.

• Greater responsibility of Member States in planning and accountability.

• The Commission will issue national recommendations to guide strategic plans.

4. Generational change

• Welcome pack for young farmers.

• Member States must design a national strategy for generational renewal.

5. Environment and climate

• The concept of “responsible management” of farms is introduced.

• It replaces the current system of conditionality with more adaptable and less prescriptive measures: the new agricultural stewardship .

• Common objectives at EU level:

• Soil protection

• Prevention of river pollution

• Conservation of wetlands and peatlands

• Incentives to improve risk management and adopt preventive measures

6. Agricultural markets

• Review of the regulations of the Common Organization of Agricultural Markets ( Single CMO ).

• Promoting healthy eating in schools.

• Creation of a new legume sector.

• Protection of the meat sector with respect to the production and composition of meat products for consumers.

• New marketing standards (labeling of origin for meat and cheese)

• Improving emergency preparedness.

The Spanish position

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food ( MAPA ), through its minister, Luis Planas, has declared that the proposal for the new Multiannual Financial Framework presented by the European Commission (EC) for the period 2028-2024 is "insufficient" because it represents a reduction in funding. The MAPA also recalled that, in June 2025, twenty EU agriculture ministers signed a letter requesting that the EC provide a sufficiently funded CAP with its own institutional and legal personality.

For this reason, the Ministry is calling for funding and recognition commensurate with the strategic importance of the agri-food sector and the challenges it faces.

Context

The European CAP, created in 1962, is one of the oldest policies of the European Union ( EU ). It supports farmers and rural areas in all Member States, helping to ensure a stable supply of affordable food for citizens while protecting farmers' livelihoods. The CAP also helps combat climate change, preserve nature, and sustain rural communities by supporting employment in agriculture, the agri-food industry, and rural sectors.

The post-2027 CAP is in line with the new Vision for Agriculture and Food , presented on February 19. The Vision seeks to simplify agricultural policies, as well as innovation and digitalization in all its aspects. The Vision aims to modernize the sector to make it more attractive, resilient, competitive, and inclusive of new generations.

The legislative proposal will now be submitted to the European Parliament and the Council for review and analysis, marking the start of a long period of work within the Community institutions.