Greece seeks higher funding in EU's new Common Agricultural Policy

The Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food, led by Minister Margariti Schoiná, is demanding that Greece receive the same or greater direct subsidies per hectare under the EU's 2028‑2034 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The government has asked the European Commission to raise the upper limit of per‑hectare aid, which the Commission has capped at €240.

Greece argues that the new CAP architecture—combining targeted and non‑targeted resources, a unified crisis safety net, and additional financing tools such as "rural targeting" (directing 10% of funds to rural zones) and a €45 billion allocation from the 2031 intermediate review—offers an opportunity to secure more funding for its primary sector. The ministry also notes that the possible EU enlargement with Ukraine, whose agricultural land accounts for about a third of the EU's current arable area, could intensify competition for CAP resources, making Greece's push for higher aid critical.

The strategy aims to preserve Greece’s position as one of the EU members receiving the highest direct subsidies per hectare and to capitalize on the increased flexibility of the new CAP funding model.