CAP 2028-2034: Navigating change for an evidence-based policy - Tools4CAP Policy Brief

This policy brief, produced within the Tools4CAP project, analyses the European Commission’s proposals for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and a restructured Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). It explains how, under the proposals published in July 2025, the CAP would be integrated into the new National and Regional Partnership Fund (NRPF) and delivered through National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs). It highlights the major governance and budgetary changes this implies, including increased flexibility for Member States, revised co-financing rules, and a shift towards a broader, partnership-based planning process. At the same time, this brief draws attention to the fact that these changes may create significant challenges for evidence-based policymaking: budgetary uncertainty, greater competition between policy areas, an erosion of common standards, and uneven analytical capacity across Member States. It identifies key concerns around degressivity and capping, the design of income support and environmental interventions, and the capacity to monitor performance and impacts in a comparable way across the EU. Based on these findings, this Tools4CAP Policy Brief sets out concrete recommendations for the European Commission, co-legislators, and Member States to strengthen evidence-based, transparent and inclusive CAP decision-making. It also outlines priorities for the research community, including better data, integrated methodologies, and stronger engagement with policymakers.