In an appearance before the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Commission of Congress, Minister Luis Planas evaluated the last three years of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
According to Planas, the data confirms the robustness of the strategic plan, which has been designed to adapt to the needs of the Spanish agricultural sector. “I advocate for the CAP, it is strategic and without it, the Spanish agri-food sector would not be where it is now,” he emphasized, recalling that Spain ranks as the fourth largest exporter in Europe and the seventh worldwide.
The current version of the CAP is the result of a profound reform driven by the European Union in 2018, aimed at addressing issues such as biodiversity loss and climate change. Thanks to this reform, member states have had the flexibility to design national plans that adapt to their specific needs, always under common objectives. Spain’s Strategic CAP Plan has a budget of 47.724 billion euros for the period 2023-2027, and has shown growth in the professionalization of the sector, with more profitable farms.
Minister Planas also highlighted the importance of the innovations introduced in the latest reform, such as the redistributive payment and eco-schemes. The redistributive payment seeks a more equitable distribution of aid, favoring smaller and family farms. Regarding eco-schemes, which reward agronomic practices beneficial to the environment, the minister indicated that there has been high participation from farmers, with a positive impact on biodiversity and the sustainability of the sector. Looking to the future, Planas advocated for a CAP 2028-2034 with a solid budget and a European approach, avoiding any trend towards renationalization.
