dpa | The controversial planned redesign of EU agricultural funding has also met with criticism from the European Court of Auditors. The auditors warn of planning uncertainty for farmers, delays in the payment of subsidies and major differences between member states. The restructuring could affect fair competition and the functioning of the internal market.
The European Commission had proposed fundamentally changing how farmers in the EU receive financial support from 2028. According to the Brussels authority’s idea, instead of many pots for the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and for structural support, there should only be one large fund in the future EU budget. The authority wants to promise farmers less money in the future.
The auditors of the Court of Auditors criticize the more complex legal structure of the proposal and the more complicated planning. Uncertainty arises for EU countries and farmers.
How much money is available for the CAP will only be clear after the individual countries’ national reform and investment plans have been adopted, i.e. later than before. This makes it less predictable how much money farmers could be paid. It is therefore challenging to compare the level of the CAP with previous periods.
The countries would also have more flexibility in spending and could plan more individually. In order for the EU to continue to pursue a common agricultural policy, the Commission must then effectively assume its strengthened leadership role. Their details need to be specified in more detail.
The auditors must also be able to track which money flows where. The auditors have some doubts about this proposal.
Billions earmarked
The EU Commission’s proposal provides that farmers will be guaranteed around 300 billion euros for the period from 2028 to 2034. However, the member states should be able to provide their farmers with more EU money. At least ten percent of every national reform and investment plan – another almost 50 billion euros – should go to rural areas.
In the dispute over the Mercosur trade agreement, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also suggested that 45 billion euros from the budget could be used earlier than originally planned.
The European Parliament and the EU countries still have to discuss the budget proposal. You asked the European Court of Auditors for its opinion, which it has now submitted. It does not contain any recommendations and has no legal implications.