Three Swedish MEPs from the European Conservatives and Reformists group have asked the European Commission whether it considers it acceptable that Common Agricultural Policy funds benefit the ruling Al Nahyan family of Abu Dhabi, one of the world's wealthiest non-EU dynasties, via corporate structures. The written question, submitted on 8 May 2026, cites media reports that subsidiaries controlled by the Al Nahyan family and the Emirati sovereign wealth fund ADQ received over EUR 71 million in CAP payments between 2019 and 2024 for farmland in Romania, Spain, and Italy. The MEPs specifically note that Agricost, which operates the EU's largest single farm in Romania, received EUR 10.5 million in 2024 alone.
The question targets the EUR 386.6 billion EU agriculture budget for 2021-2027 and raises concerns about the ultimate beneficiaries of CAP funds. The MEPs ask the Commission three concrete questions: whether it finds the current situation acceptable; whether it will publish an EU-wide assessment of CAP payments where the ultimate beneficial owners are non-EU state-linked entities, sovereign wealth funds, or billionaires; and whether it will urgently propose caps, ownership-transparency rules, and recovery mechanisms to ensure CAP money reaches EU farmers rather than foreign elites.
Policy orientation and expected follow-up
The question signals a push for tighter control over CAP subsidies, with a focus on transparency of ownership and preventing funds from flowing to wealthy non-EU actors. The MEPs advocate for caps on payments to large corporate entities and recovery of funds already paid. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks; its answer will indicate whether it shares the MEPs' concerns and whether it plans to introduce new transparency or eligibility rules for CAP beneficiaries. The issue affects EU farmers who compete for subsidies, national authorities managing CAP payments, and the broader EU taxpayer who finances the budget.