European Parliament Agriculture Committee Opposes Cuts to Food Promotion Funding
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) expressed their discontent regarding the reduction in EU funding aimed at promoting agricultural products, despite assurances from the European Commission that adjustments to the budget may be made in the autumn.
During a debate on the proposed 2025 budget on July 23, the Committee on Agriculture highlighted concerns following the June European Parliament elections. The initial draft of the opinion, led by Romanian MEP Daniel Buda (EPP), criticized the budget cuts within the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for 2025 compared to 2024 and urged an increase in EU financial support for agriculture.
This position will shape the European Parliament’s stance, set for approval later this year in the Budget Committee, before moving to the plenary and subsequently entering negotiations with the Council, which represents the member states.
The EU’s multiannual financial framework (MFF), passed last winter, noted a significant cut of €440 million from the CAP budget for the years 2025 to 2027. Notably, €50 billion in aid for Ukraine emerged as a focal point for this budget review.
The €136 million reduction specifically impacts promotion programs managed by the Commission, affecting multiple organizations across member states. Direct payments to farmers will remain unaffected. The Commission’s spokesperson for agriculture and trade, Olof Gill, emphasized that these cuts would influence resources dedicated to promotional activities while operations abroad to foster market opportunities would also be impacted.
On July 10, representatives from the European agri-food sector issued a joint letter urging member states to oppose the budget cuts, which decreased from €185.9 million in 2024 to €93.9 million in 2025, totaling a reduction of €281.7 million over three years.
Italian MEP Raffaele Stancanelli (Patriots for Europe, Italy) remarked that such cuts pose a significant setback to those aiming to expand their agricultural activities internationally. He noted the need for compensatory measures. Herbert Dorfmann (EPP, Italy) echoed these sentiments, highlighting that reducing promotional funds at a time when innovation in creating product value is crucial is counterproductive. He called for a clear stance and dialogue with the future Commissioner regarding these matters.
Céline Imart (EPP, France) expressed concern over the budget cuts affecting promotional efforts for products with protected designation of origin (PDO), emphasizing their importance to regional identities and urging support for the budget.
In response, European Commission official Carmen Naranjo Sanchez acknowledged the minor reduction in the agricultural budget. She reassured that promotion measures overseen by the EU and member states would remain unchanged from the previous year, meaning member state budgets would not be affected. Naranjo remarked that final details for the 2025 promotional support program will be presented in September and that adjustments could be proposed in the autumn based on identified needs.
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John Peterson graduated with a degree in Agricultural Sciences from Wageningen University in the Netherlands. His specialization is in sustainable crop production and soil health management. John is passionate about integrating modern technology with traditional farming methods to enhance productivity while preserving the environment. He currently works as a consultant, helping farmers adopt sustainable practices.