[Digest] The Multiannual Financial Framework and the Common Agricultural Policy for the period 2028-2034

The workshop held on 9 April 2026 featured two experts discussing the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) within the EU’s 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

Ms Elsa Régnier (IDDRI, Paris) examined the proposed MFF’s budgetary design and its impact on the CAP, focusing on:

• budget size,
• allocation across Member States,
• national implementation (flexibility, ring-fencing, co-financing), and
• crisis management.

Mr Alan Matthews (Trinity College Dublin) analysed the future governance of the CAP, focusing on:

• integration of agricultural policy into a single European fund,
• the pros and cons of the CAP two-pillar structure, and
• flexibility in the CAP proposal.

The discussion with Members highlighted their concerns about limited simplification, uncertainty in policy implementation, risks to a level playing field, and the potential deprioritisation of the CAP budget in national plans.

The experts emphasised the need for safeguards (e.g. co-financing rates, stronger ring-fencing and steering mechanisms), better link between crisis support and risk prevention, targeted ring-fencing for rural development, and stronger monitoring to safeguard Parliament’s oversight.

This workshop was organised by the Policy Department for Regional Development, Agriculture and Fisheries at the request of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI).