Meeting ahead of the next Agriculture and Fisheries Council, PES AGRIFISH Ministers discussed the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028–2034, stressing the need for adequate and predictable funding for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
The next EU budget will be decisive for the future of Europe’s agriculture, food and fisheries sectors, with millions of workers and communities depending on the policies and investments it will support. PES AGRIFISH Ministers highlighted that the CAP must remain a strong and central European policy, with adequate funding to support small farms, ensure fair remuneration for farmers and promote sustainable farming practices. They also called for a stronger implementation of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), including to support decarbonisation, better working and living conditions on vessels and generational renewal.
Luis Planas, Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Chair of the meeting, said:
“The next EU budget will shape the future of our agriculture, food and fisheries sectors. We need a strong MFF to support the policies we want and to ensure food security. Simplification must not come at the expense of cohesion, sustainability and the wellbeing of our rural and coastal communities.
Small farms, young farmers, fishers, need our support to navigate through the challenging times we are facing. A strong CAP and a strong CFP means steady, good quality, affordable food, it means supporting environmental sustainability, it means ensuring European food integrity. This is essential to everyone’s. As progressives we will fight for the wellbeing of our agriculture and fisheries sectors because that means fighting for the wellbeing of every European.”
During the meeting, PES AGRIFISH Ministers also addressed the revision of the Unfair Trade Practices Directive. Progressives stressed the need to strengthen farmers’ bargaining position across the food supply chain, tackle power imbalances and ensure a fairer distribution of value among all actors.
Ministers exchanged views on the market situation following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including the implementation of the EU-Ukraine Action Plan and targeted support for farmers. They stressed the need to address rising costs and ensure access to essential agricultural inputs, particularly fertilisers, while safeguarding Europe’s food security in a context of continued geopolitical uncertainty.
Online participants
Participants’ list
- Luis Planas, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Spain
- Marianne Sivertsen Næss, Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Police, Norway
- Gonçalo Rodrigues, Former Secretary of State for Agriculture, Portugal
- Piret Hartman, Former Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, Estonia
- Robert O’Donoghue, Member of Parliament, Ireland
- Dario Nardella, MEP, AGRI Committee Coordinator, S&D Group in the EP
- Victor Negrescu, MEP, Chair of the PES WG on the MFF, S&D Group in the EP
- Yonnec Polet, Deputy Secretary General, PES
