A major shake-up in how the EU manages farming subsidies appears to be underway with the European Commission planning to unify delivery of its two largest budget items—cohesion funds and agricultural subsidies—under a single channel, according to a leaked draft of the EU’s next long-term budget seen by Euronews.
Crucially, the proposal would eliminate the CAP’s “second pillar”, which currently funds rural development programmes. These programmes support agro-environmental initiatives, farm investments, and the development of rural communities.
