The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) adopted its opinion on the proposed Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) regulation for 2028-2034, calling for regional authorities to be granted co-decision maker and managing authority status alongside Member States. The opinion, published on 10 July 2026, demands that regions be explicitly included in CAP planning, monitoring, and evaluation, and that the CAP network directly involve regional authorities in the agriculture component of national strategic plans.
The CoR welcomes the proposed degressive area-based income support but calls for a clearer definition of 'farmer' and for redistributive payments to reduce inequality, targeting young farmers, small family farms, and farms in areas facing natural constraints. It proposes reducing national co-financing to 20% for agri-environmental and climate actions, and suggests shortening food supply chains by strengthening local and regional markets. The opinion also calls for farm stewardship to cover biodiversity, climate, food safety, animal welfare, and social conditionality, and for income support to be better targeted towards small and medium-sized farms while progressively reducing payments for the largest beneficiaries.
On trade, the CoR urges the inclusion of mirror clauses in EU trade agreements so that imported agricultural products meet equivalent EU standards on food safety, environmental protection, animal welfare, and social conditionality. It also recommends that the agriculture and agri-food sector be recognised as a strategic priority within the European Competitiveness Fund.
The opinion will feed into the ongoing legislative process for the CAP post-2027 reform, with the European Parliament and Council expected to negotiate the final regulation. The CoR's demands could shift the balance of power in CAP governance, potentially increasing the role of regional authorities at the expense of national governments.