Under the European Commission’s proposal for the new EU budget for 2028–2034, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is set to be integrated into national and regional partnership plans. However, representatives of the agricultural sector and local governments warn that the planned reform could lead to excessive centralization. Rural municipalities emphasize that funding should be directed straight to regions, which are best positioned to understand and address local needs.
“I represent the Association of Rural Communes of Poland in the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels, where we are working together with local government representatives from across the country to change the approach to budgeting for the next financial perspective. We strongly support the idea that EU funds should go directly to regions. They are certainly better equipped to allocate them wisely in cooperation with municipalities,” said Stanisław Jastrzębski, mayor of Długosiodło and chairman of the Association of Rural Communes of Poland, in an interview with Newseria.
On March 3, a High-Level Conference on the future of the CAP in the new financial framework was held at the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels. Representatives of EU institutions, national governments, regions, and agricultural organizations expressed concerns about the proposed shape of the reform—particularly the weakening of its regional dimension and the reduced ability of local and regional authorities to manage funds and tailor them to specific regional needs. In their view, the proposed changes could also reduce the predictability of funding for farmers and rural areas.
Stefan Krajewski, Poland’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, who attended the conference, stressed that the future CAP should retain its common European character. He warned against its renationalization or the weakening of shared financial frameworks. He also noted that the current two-pillar structure of the CAP has proven highly effective and should be preserved.
“We already have well-developed mechanisms through which regions distribute funds via various calls for proposals and competitive schemes. Of course, there should be a stronger emphasis on cooperation between regions and local communities, ensuring that funding programs are tailored to specific needs. The time has come when we should not allocate funds to areas without a clear development perspective. Local governments must define development strategies for the next 10–20 years, including demographic trends, population levels, birth rates, and growth potential,” Jastrzębski emphasized.
In the current financial framework, the CAP budget amounts to €387 billion. In its initial proposal for 2028–2034, presented in July 2025, the European Commission planned to allocate at least €300 billion for farmers’ income support and crisis measures. However, the European Parliament is calling for an increase in this funding envelope.
“There is always a need for more funding, especially as we still have development gaps to close for the benefit of local communities. At the same time, we must consider current challenges such as depopulation. We need to be aware of the long-term development prospects of each area and locality so that funds are invested wisely. We are not investing only for today’s needs—we must think in terms of the next 10, 20, or even 30 years,” Jastrzębski concluded.
