According to the ministers, the current funding system is indispensable for food security, rural development, and sustainability.
The ministers expressed their support for the new direction proposed by Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen. He wants European farmers to have more room, face fewer regulatory burdens, and be better able to compete with farmers outside the EU. Hansen advocates for simpler policies and more attention to the economic position of farmers.
Although the ministers agreed with the main lines of Hansen’s plans, they were clear on one point: there must be no cuts to the agriculture budget. In the coming years, work will take place on a new long-term EU budget, and within it, agriculture risks receiving less money. The EU needs hundreds of billions extra in the coming years for European rearmament, as well as to strengthen the economy.
The ministers of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality consider this irresponsible. According to them, agricultural policy must continue to have its own, solid budget in the future. They emphasize that agriculture is not only about food production but also contributes to security. This is especially important in times of geopolitical tensions, several delegations stated.
German Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir, who presumably attended the meeting for the last time, stressed the importance of a modern agricultural policy that offers farmers perspective. He supports Hansen’s direction but warned that without sufficient funding, even the best plans have little chance of success.
Austria, Poland, France, Italy, and Spain also emphasized that agriculture must not be set against other priorities such as defense or climate. Several countries named food security a strategic goal.
The ministers called on the European Commission to provide timely clarity about the financial frameworks after 2027. They do not want agriculture to be addressed only at the end of negotiations, as has sometimes happened in the past. According to them, Brussels must guarantee now that agricultural policy will not become a leftover item.