After three years of debates, the new common agricultural policy (CAP) marks a turning point for the EU bloc and leads to a fairer and more sustainable phase for European producers, Slovenian Minister of Agriculture Joze Podgorsek said.

In addition, it creates a new management model based on national strategic plans, according to the minister, who also holds the rotating presidency of the EU.

The CAP is the largest package of the Community budget with an allocation of 380 billion euros for the 2021-2027 period.

In Spain’s case, it accounts for 37 billion euros in direct payments to farmers and cattle ranchers and nearly eight billion for rural development over seven years.

The path to the reform was long, three years of work among member States and European institutions. In June they finally reached a consensus after the Council and the European Parliament had adopted their negotiating positions nine months earlier.

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