European agricultural groups raise concerns over EU policy direction

Agricultural organizations, including Unión de Uniones and the Unión de Campesinos de Castilla y León (UCCL), have expressed growing concern regarding the future of European agricultural policy. Following recent meetings in Brussels and the 2026 State of the Union (SOTEU) debate, these groups claim that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s discourse fails to address the expectations set after the 2024 agricultural mobilizations.

Representatives met with the European Parliament, the European Commission, and the Permanent Representation of Spain to the EU to advocate for agriculture to remain a priority in upcoming EU budget and Common Agricultural Policy (PAC) decisions. They presented a document outlining the state of European agriculture and rural areas, requesting eight specific commitments to move from problem recognition to actionable solutions.

Key issues highlighted by the organizations include low profitability, supply chain imbalances, excessive bureaucracy, lack of generational renewal, vulnerability to crises, and unfair competition from imports. There is also significant pressure from Germany and other frugal nations to implement substantial budget cuts, which could impact the PAC.