On 27 July 2026, Emmanouil Fragkos, a Greek MEP from the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, submitted a parliamentary question to the European Commission, pressing for measures to reduce irrigation-related energy costs for farmers in water-scarce regions. Fragkos highlights the burden of high energy prices for water abstraction and distribution, particularly in the regional unit of Kavala, Greece, where reliance on boreholes and reduced water availability increase energy needs and undermine farm competitiveness. He asks the Commission to assess the uptake of energy communities in agriculture, consider additional financial incentives for producer groups and cooperatives, and clarify whether the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will include special measures to cut irrigation energy costs in areas facing water scarcity.
The question, formally tabled as a parliamentary question, seeks concrete commitments from the Commission. It references the revised Renewable Energy Directive (EU) 2023/2413 (RED III), which encourages citizen and local actor participation in renewable energy production and consumption, and asks whether the Commission plans to leverage this framework to support agricultural energy communities. Fragkos also inquires about potential financial incentives and CAP-specific provisions, indicating a push for targeted support rather than general policy statements.
This initiative reflects a broader concern among southern European farmers about energy costs and water management, though it is an individual MEP's effort rather than a coordinated parliamentary action. The Commission is expected to respond within approximately six weeks, and its answer will signal whether it views energy communities as a viable tool for agricultural competitiveness and whether future CAP reforms will address irrigation energy costs. The outcome could affect farmers in water-stressed regions across the EU, as well as agricultural cooperatives and energy community developers, who stand to benefit from any new incentives or regulatory clarity. Conversely, additional measures could impose administrative burdens on national authorities tasked with implementing them, and may require budget reallocations within the CAP.
Fragkos's question underscores a tension between supporting farm competitiveness through energy cost reduction and the need for sustainable water and energy management. While energy communities could lower costs and promote renewable energy adoption, their effectiveness depends on upfront investment and regulatory support, which may not be equally accessible to all farmers. The Commission's reply will clarify whether it prioritises financial incentives, regulatory simplification, or a combination of both, and whether water-scarce regions receive special attention in the next CAP.