The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment of the Balearic Islands, Joan Simonet, has expressed opposition to the European Commission’s new proposal for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) for the 2028–2034 period.

Speaking in Madrid after taking part in a meeting convened by Spain’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, with regional ministers, Simonet warned that the Commission’s plan entails “significant cuts” and a model that “dilutes the funds” by removing their earmarked nature, opening the door to their use for policies unrelated to agriculture and fisheries.

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Balearic Islands oppose new EU proposal for CAP and FEMPA and will join Spain’s strategy in Brussels

“The proposal blurs and weakens the value of agriculture and fisheries in Europe,” Simonet stressed, noting that “the budget is the basic management tool” and that reducing funds means reducing the sector’s weight.

Minister Planas called on Spain’s autonomous regions to form a united front demanding that the CAP and EMFAF recover their identity and receive greater funding under the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework. According to the Ministry’s calculations, the Commission’s proposal would mean a 20% cut to CAP funds, while fisheries funding would drop from the current €6 billion to just €2 billion.

Simonet announced that the Balearic Islands will actively participate in the working groups set up by the Ministry to defend the interests of the sector in Brussels.