The Access to Land Network has published a new policy brief outlining concrete priorities for ensuring generational renewal within the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) framework .
Across Europe, fewer than half of farms have identified successors. However, the challenge is not only demographic. Our comparative analysis across ten countries shows that access to land is increasingly determined by capitalised bidding and investment dynamics. High land prices, financialisation and speculative investment are visible expressions of this mechanism, contributing to persistent land concentration . Weak land governance and insecure leasing arrangements further prevent land from being allocated according to long-term farming activity.
With the introduction of National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs), Member States will gain greater discretion in shaping generational renewal strategies. This governance shift makes it essential that structural land access barriers are addressed directly, rather than limiting renewal policy to short-term income support .
In response, A2L calls for a reorientation of EU agricultural policy from area-based subsidies toward support linked to farming activity and labour engagement. The brief proposes eight key measures, including:
Operationalising a European Land Observatory to identify who effectively controls and accesses farmland;
Supporting farm incubators as access pathways outside competitive bidding mechanisms;
Strengthening oversight of NRPPs through clear performance indicators on land access and land distribution;
Reviewing capping and degressivity rules to prevent reinforcement of land concentration;
Reinforcing the definition of “active farmer” to ensure support reaches those genuinely engaged in agricultural work.
The policy brief is supported by a coalition of organisations working across land governance, agroecology and the right to food at European level. Signatories include FIAN Belgium, Agroecology Europe, RENETA, and AGTER. Their endorsement reflects a shared commitment to addressing structural barriers to land access and ensuring that generational renewal policies within the CAP strengthen equitable land allocation, agroecological transition, and the rights of those actively engaged in farming.