Transitional national aid for farmers could also be granted after 2027

Romania has secured the agreement of the Presidency of the Council of the EU to include national transitional aid payments (ANT) in the future regulation on the Common Agricultural Policy, allowing Romanian farmers to continue benefiting from these payments after 2027. The decision was agreed at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting held on October 26-27 in Luxembourg.

Agriculture Minister Florin-Ionuț Barbu described maintaining ANT payments as Romania’s main priority and said that including this possibility in the compromise text represents an important result. However, he warned that negotiations have not concluded and that the provision must be retained in the final version of the regulation.

Romania is also calling for adequate funding for the CAP in 2028-2034, a reduction in disparities between payments granted to farmers in member states, and the retention of the optional nature of capping and the progressive reduction of area-based payments.

Bucharest is seeking European funds for irrigation infrastructure, accessible to both farmers and their organizations, as well as the simplification of agricultural risk-management instruments. At the same time, the minister is discussing with the European Commission the resumption of Romanian sheep exports to countries outside the EU, in compliance with sanitary and veterinary rules.