There have already been indications that the post-2027 CAP may not be kick in as planned in January 2028 as a result of expected delays to agreeing the next long-term EU budget, known as the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

Chief CAP negotiator for the European Parliament Norbert Lins MEP has said that much of the timeline of the next CAP will depend on the time taken for member states and the parliament to sign off on the next budget.

“I have the impression from France that there is more and more appetite to do the final MFF negotiations after their presidential election and this is in May next year,” Lins told a farmer meeting organised by midlands north west MEP Barry Cowen in Mullingar last week.

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There had been an expectation that member states’ positions on the MFF could be signed off before the end of 2026, when Ireland will hold the EU presidency, allowing talks to get down to the real detail on future farm schemes.

Any delay beyond this deadline could require a transitional regulation to bridge the gap between the current CAP ending and the next CAP kicking in, similar to the transition period witnessed in 2021 and 2022. While final agreement may not be reached on the MFF before the end of the year, Lins stated that he is “optimistic” that CAP talks could remain on schedule if member states manage to finalise their negotiating position on the budget during Ireland’s period in the presidency.