Following reports that the European Commission plans to fragment the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), reduce its budget, and merge it into a single fund, Renew Europe calls for simplification without breaking what works. We are concerned that agriculture and regional development will receive a smaller share of the total budget than in previous years. This Multiannual Financial Framework is not only about agricultural policy - it is about Europe’s priorities, competitiveness and self-sufficiency. Renew Europe insists on protecting the CAP as a cornerstone of Europe’s food security and rural sustainability. Renew coordinator Elsi Katainen said: "As Renew Europe, we strongly reject the direction set out in the Commission's proposals for the future of the Common Agricultural Policy. The attempt to absorb the CAP into a merged mega-fund under ‘National and Regional Partnership Fund and plans’ is a dangerous step towards renationalisation, fragmentation and a loss of coherence at EU level. This approach undermines the founding principle of the CAP as a common EU policy. By diluting CAP funding across broad budget lines, the Commission is jeopardising planning security, farmers' trust and the ability to invest strategically in the long term. We advocate a separate, transparent and modern CAP, anchored at EU level. Reforms must strengthen, not dismantle, Europe's strategic capacity in the field of agriculture." The EU must deliver a simplified process for farmers while preserving the CAP’s structure - a standalone, robust budget that secures food security and supports farmers. Renew Europe AGRI members are deeply concerned that reports about increased fragmentation could create uncertainty for farmers across Europe Our vision is clear: a strong, standalone CAP anchored at EU level, real simplification that cuts red tape without breaking what works, food security and generational renewal as top priorities. | 
