CEETTAR Statement on the Future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the EU Budget Framework
You can find a link at the end of the article to download the PDF version of this statement.
Brussels, July 2025
The European Confederation of Agricultural, Rural and Forestry Contractors (CEETTAR) takes note of the European Commission’s proposal concerning the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and its integration within the next Multiannual Financial Framework.
As the voice of contractors across Europe who provide essential services to farmers and rural areas, CEETTAR emphasises the need for a CAP that is stable, adequately funded, and strategically coordinated at the European level. Contractors are long-term partners in delivering productivity, environmental performance, and innovation in the agricultural sector.
1. Preserving the European Framework of the CAP
The CAP’s shared rules and coordinated structure have underpinned decades of agricultural development in the EU. Shifting more responsibility to national level without clear safeguards may lead to inconsistencies in access to support and implementation of key priorities, such as digitalisation, environmental management, and investment in modern equipment.
Contractors work across borders, across farm sizes, and across sectors. For them, maintaining a common EU framework is critical to ensuring predictability and fairness in how services are provided and how investments are supported.
2. A Clear Budget for Modernisation
CEETTAR supports a CAP budget that reflects the ambitions placed on the sector, including its role in delivering sustainable practices, technology uptake, and food system resilience. This requires a budget that is adjusted for inflation and avoids dilution through overly broad instruments.
Our 2025 position paper, “Supporting Precision Farming and Technology Use under the CAP,” stressed the importance of targeted support measures that make advanced tools and services available to all farm types. The use of contractors is one of the most effective ways to spread innovation and reduce costs at scale. The next CAP must not lose sight of this.
3. Recognising the Role of Contractors in Policy Design and Delivery
Contractors are an integral part of modern agriculture. From soil care to nutrient application, from digital field mapping to mechanical weeding, they provide expertise and capacity that underpin the green and digital transitions.
A forward-looking CAP should fully integrate contractors into its design and delivery mechanisms. This includes eligibility for innovation and investment support, participation in knowledge exchange systems, and opportunities to contribute to national and EU-level policy discussions.
4. A Strategic Approach Is Needed
The CAP remains one of the EU’s most important tools for addressing long-term challenges in rural areas—from competitiveness to sustainability. This calls for a strategic approach that avoids fragmentation and maintains policy coherence across Member States.
CEETTAR encourages the European Parliament and the Council to examine closely how the Commission’s proposals affect the long-term functioning of the CAP and the broader agricultural ecosystem. Ensuring clarity, consistency, and strategic focus will benefit not only farmers, but also the service providers, contractors, and rural businesses who keep the system running.
CEETTAR will continue to work constructively with EU institutions and partners to support a CAP that is ambitious, balanced, and fit for the future.