German states unite against EU ‘superfund’ plan to absorb CAP

Germany’s federal states have united behind a common stance on EU farm policy reform, strengthening Berlin’s position ahead of crucial negotiations in Brussels.

In a joint resolution,  the agriculture ministers of Germany’s 16 federal states set out six core demands focused on financial stability, subsidiarity, and the simplification of EU rules.

The ministers – nine from the conservative Christian Democrats, three each from the Greens and the Social Democrats (SPD) – met in Berlin on Thursday and, together with Federal Minister Alois Rainer, endorsed a joint resolution to send to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen. 

Presenting the demands, Peter Hauk, meeting chair and Baden-Württemberg’s conservative minister, warned Brussels against merging the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) into a "larger 'super fund' alongside other policy areas". "In our view, it would be entirely the wrong path for European farmers."

Rainer also welcomed the consensus: “The fact that we were able to reach a unified position today is incredibly important. It sends a strong and clear signal from Germany to Brussels,” he told a press conference.

From Berlin with love

The federal states called for predictable EU funding and greater flexibility in how CAP money is spent, arguing that one-size-fits-all rules fail to reflect Germany’s diverse agricultural regions.

They urged stronger support for direct payments and rural development funding (EAFRD) to support income stability, biodiversity, and small-scale, regionally rooted farms. They also underlined the importance of robust rural development policy, citing agriculture’s role in environmental protection, regional cohesion, and climate action.

Simplification also featured prominently in the resolution. The ministers criticised the complex bureaucracy surrounding the CAP, called for performance-based support – particularly for environmental, climate, and animal welfare measures – and advocated updating good agricultural and environmental conditions (GAEC) and conditionality standards.

The resolution also called for early and meaningful involvement of member states and regions in shaping the future CAP, to ensure effective implementation on the ground.

Only the Greens broke the otherwise united front.

“I would also have liked to see a clear commitment to initiatives such as the Farm-to-Fork Strategy – for example, reducing pesticide use, antibiotic use, and food waste," said Miriam Staudte, Lower Saxony’s Green agriculture minister.

National budget context

The draft budget foresees €6.88 billion the ministry, down from €6.93 billion in 2024. However, funding for livestock farming reform is set to increase by €50 million, to €200 million.

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