On 17 July 2025, the European Commission presented its proposal for the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2028–2034, which will define the EU’s strategic framework for the agricultural sector beyond 2027. The proposal is part of the EU’s long-term budget and marks an evolution towards simplification, greater flexibility for Member States, and targeted support for farmers, aiming to better respond to local needs and global challenges.
Key elements of the proposal
The new CAP will maintain its core mission of ensuring fair income for farmers and affordable food for citizens, while introducing significant structural innovations:
- Simplification and greater flexibility for Member States
Member States will have more room to tailor their interventions, with fewer prescriptive rules at EU level and a more streamlined structure. This will enable more targeted and effective agricultural policies, especially for rural and remote areas, based on specific regional needs.
- More accessible tools for farmers and new entrants
The Commission proposes to expand and simplify support options for both existing farmers and new entrants. Newcomers will benefit from specific start-up tools, including a “starter pack” to facilitate their entry and sustainability in the agricultural sector.
- Better balance between rules and incentives
The proposal aims to strike a more balanced approach between obligations and incentives, making the CAP less bureaucratic and more results-oriented. The objective is to stimulate sustainable practices aligned with the European Green Deal, environmental protection, and the resilience of agri-food supply chains.
- Stronger strategic focus of agricultural spending
The Commission aims to enhance synergies between the CAP and other EU funding programmes (such as the Cohesion Fund, Horizon Europe, LIFE, etc.), to maximise investment impact and support the green, digital and social transitions in rural areas.
- Enhanced support for young farmers
To address the ageing rural population, the proposal strengthens generational renewal, with dedicated measures for young farmers ranging from start-up aid to improved access to land, credit and training.
Unlocking the Potential of AFNs in the Future CAP
The new CAP framework comes at a time when agri-food innovation, environmental sustainability and rural development are playing an increasingly central role. In this context, the goals promoted by the Food4CE project, which aims to strengthen AFNs as key actors in short food supply chains across Central Europe, find fertile ground to grow.
The CAP’s increased attention to place-based solutions, flexible intervention design, and support for young farmers represent strategic levers to promote resilient, sustainable and locally rooted models of food production and distribution, such as those supported by Food4CE.
Moreover, the stronger synergies between agricultural policy and other EU funding instruments open up new possibilities for the financing and integration of AFNs into broader rural and territorial development strategies.
Food4CE will continue to monitor developments in the proposal and facilitate dialogue among local actors, institutions and policy-makers, to ensure that the next CAP fully recognises and supports the role of AFNs in the future of European agriculture.
Read the official announcement from the European Commission: https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/media/news/next-chapter-cap-2025-07-17_en?prefLang=it