A group of MEPs from the Patriots for Europe (PfE) group, led by Gilles Pennelle, has submitted a parliamentary question to the European Commission on 1 July 2026, raising concerns about the acquisition of EU agricultural land by foreign entities and the potential diversion of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) subsidies away from European farmers. The MEPs argue that mass acquisitions by sovereign wealth funds and large international agro-industrial structures threaten food sovereignty and misuse EU funds, especially amid planned CAP budget reductions and integration into a broader common fund.
The question, signed by 14 MEPs including Julien Sanchez, Mathilde Androuët, and Virginie Joron, asks the Commission whether it has an accurate overview of the final beneficiaries of CAP subsidies, particularly when farms are held by foreign groups or complex legal structures. It also demands to know how the Commission plans to ensure that EU funds primarily support European farmers, family farms, and food production for the European market.
The MEPs' intervention reflects a push for greater transparency and targeting of CAP spending, with an emphasis on protecting domestic agricultural interests. The question contains concrete asks: the Commission is expected to provide data on beneficiary oversight and outline measures to prevent subsidy leakage. Under parliamentary rules, the Commission typically must reply within six weeks; the answer will signal its stance on tightening CAP rules against foreign ownership and subsidy diversion.
EU farmers and family farms, who could benefit from stricter subsidy targeting; foreign investors and agro-industrial groups, who may face new restrictions; EU taxpayers, who fund CAP subsidies; and national authorities, who would be responsible for implementing any new transparency requirements. The cleavage pits food sovereignty and protection of EU funds against openness to foreign investment and market liberalisation.