Policy Document

Who should receive CAP payments?
A new legal analysis examines the definition of “active farmer” in the Common Agricultural Policy and explores how it could be strengthened in the 2028–2034 reform. From tightening eligibility criteria to introducing the concept of an “agroecological farmer,” the report outlines concrete pathways to better align public support with those who genuinely work the land and contribute to ecological transition.

Across Europe, generational renewal in farming is increasingly constrained by how land is allocated. In our new policy brief, the Access to Land Network argues that rising land prices are only part of the story: capital-driven allocation mechanisms and weak land governance continue to reinforce land concentration and limit entry into farming.