Member states have agreed to pursue the merging of the CAP’s current standalone budget into a larger ‘single fund’ that will cover non-farming areas of EU spending.
The Council of the EU on Tuesday decided the partial negotiating stance that it will take in upcoming EU long-term budget reform talks with the European Commission and the European Parliament.
The position does not address the scale of funding in the single fund’s budget, as this will depend on the final agreement on the next EU budget as a whole.
The stance backs the Commission’s plans to merge the CAP’s budget heading with programmes that include cohesion, fisheries, migration and security and the social climate fund.
Cross-sectoral spending plan
The new all-in-one programme is to be termed the national and regional partnership plans (NRPP) and each country will draw up its own cross-sectoral spending plan with EU funding to be divvied up by national governments – according to their country’s funding needs.
“By bringing fundamental EU priorities together under a single fund, we can deliver more effectively and respond faster to known and future challenges, both regionally and nationally,” said the deputy minister for European affairs Marilena Raouna of Cyrpus, which holds the council presidency.”
“The NRPP is a central pillar of the next [EU budget] and will strengthen the link between reforms and investments, helping to build a more resilient, competitive and cohesive Europe, while upholding the values that unite us as Europeans.”
SHARING OPTIONS