Cowen proposes additional €93bn CAP funding ahead of EU budget

Midlands North West MEP Barry Cowen is one of a number of EU representatives who have submitted a proposal to secure an additional €93bn in ring-fenced funding for the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

The proposal has secured the backing of all Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael MEPs, alongside Independent MEP Michael McNamara.

The CAP is the European Union's primary system of agricultural subsidies, market supports, and rural development programs.

The cross-party group has written to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, Budget Commissioner Piotr Serafin and Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen, outlining a practical route to protecting European agricultural funding under the next EU budget.

The Commission's initial proposal guarantees approximately €294 billion in CAP farmer income support, significantly below the European Parliament's ambitions for the next funding period.

Cowen's proposal identifies two existing funding mechanisms that could be used to protect the current level of agricultural support without requiring the immediate creation of new EU revenue streams.

Under the first proposal, approximately €45bn made available through the mid-term review arrangements would be brought forward and fully ring-fenced for agriculture.

Under the second, approximately €48bn earmarked for rural development under the proposed National and Regional Partnership Plans would be secured within the CAP framework, ensuring that funding remains dedicated to agricultural and rural priorities.

Commenting, Barry Cowen MEP said the ring-fencing of €93bn for the future of agriculture is not the end of the coalition's ambition.

"We need to move beyond the slogans and start putting credible figures and solutions on the table.

"That is exactly what I have done. The additional funding is a practical starting point from which we can fight for further improvements, including inflation protection.

"There is a shared recognition that Irish farmers cannot afford another seven years of uncertainty over the future of their livelihoods.

"The letter is now with the Commission and Council, and we intend to follow it up directly. I would also challenge anyone who disagrees with this approach to put forward their own credible alternative.

"Farmers need a budget that is properly funded, a plan that can actually be delivered and politicians prepared to do the difficult work of securing it.

"We have put a proposal on the table, now it is time to turn it into a result," MEP Cowen stated.