The Common Agricultural Policy after 2027: More attention to rural development needed

"The SRLE welcomes that the discussion on the further development of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2027 is gaining momentum," says Prof. Dr. Peter Weingarten, Director of the Thünen Institute of Rural Studies and member of the SRLE. "However, we are concerned to see that the development of rural areas plays almost no role in this process."

Against this background, the SRLE recommends that the German government gets involved early in the decision-making process on the Common Agricultural Policy after 2027 and stands up for timely decisions at EU and federal level. Then – in contrast to the current and the previous funding period – the next funding period could start on time. Timely decisions are a prerequisite for a well-reasoned implementation of the CAP on January 1, 2028, and could facilitate administrative simplification.

The SRLE recommends that the BMEL:

a) makes full use of its scope to strengthen rural areas,

b) plays with emphasis its role as an 'advocate of rural areas' in the negotiations on the future design of the CAP at the EU level and in the national implementation within the ministry and at the federal level, and

c) advocates for a due priority of a holistic development of rural areas in the next funding period of the CAP.
 

The statement in German language is available here.