EFFAT motsätter sig nedskärningar i den gemensamma jordbrukspolitiken och attacker mot sociala villkor bland jordbrukarnas protester

EFFAT motsätter sig nedskärningar i den gemensamma jordbrukspolitiken och attacker mot sociala villkor bland jordbrukarnas protester

December 18, 2025| Utvalda, pressmeddelande

Bryssel, 18 december 2025 - On the occasion of today's farmers' demonstration in Brussels, EFFAT reiterates its strong opposition to the European Commission's proposals to cut the budget for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2028-2034 by more than 20% och att skapa en single European fund combining agricultural resources with funding for cohesion, rural development, fisheries and other policies.

EFFAT also expresses allvarlig oro over the Commission's proposal to weaken the social dimension of the CAP, notably through clear attacks on social conditionality, a major achievement for trade unions in the last CAP reform.

Linking the allocation of public funds, paid for by EU taxpayers, to respect for workers' rights is a matter of social rättvisa. It also protects farmers who comply with labour laws and collective agreements, and who are otherwise exposed to orättvis konkurrens from those who do not.

Commenting on today's farmers' protests, Enrico Somaglia, General Secretary of EFFAT, Sade:

"EFFAT shares many of the reasons behind today's mobilisation. Farmers are demanding a fairer redistribution of value along the agri-food chain, which is increasingly marked by concentration and financialisation, to the detriment of the most vulnerable actors, including farm workers and small farmers. The EU's current responses lack ambition and are misguided. Instead of investing in a just transition and the creation of quality jobs, the Commission has pursued harmful free trade agreements and proposed cuts to the CAP budget, alongside a partial renationalisation. At the same time, how public funds are spent is just as important as their overall amount. This is why we strongly oppose any weakening of social conditionality, a vital social justice measure that places no additional burden on farmers and helps raise labour standards in one of the most precarious sectors of the economy."

EFFAT betonar att cutting the CAP budget betrays the very origins of the European Union, founded on the central role of agriculture. These reductions appear closely linked to the sharp increase in military spending, signalling a worrying shift away from the EU's economic, environmental and social priorities.

The proposed creation of a single European fund represents a significant departure from the founding Treaties. It risks diluting agricultural and labour priorities, increasing fragmentation and renationalisation, and setting EU social objectives in competition with rural development goals.

EFFAT believes these are wrong and unfair choices, which will affect not only agricultural producers but also farm workers, through potential job losses and a deterioration in the quality of employment.

Fabrizio De Pascale, President of the EFFAT Agricultural Sector, added:

"Defending the CAP budget and a dedicated fund for agriculture must go hand in hand with improving working conditions and protecting workers' rights. Farm workers and agricultural businesses are the backbone of a production system that must guarantee European food sovereignty, protect the environment, ensure product quality, and respect labour rights. Faced with a Commission that is deaf to the demands of the social partners, European trade unions and employers' organisations must work together to defend the CAP, support sustainable businesses, and protect workers."