Offaly's Barry Cowen appointed lead negotiator on landmark post-2027 CAP legislation

MIDLANDS North-West Fianna Fáil MEP and full member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI), Barry Cowen, has been appointed Renew Europe’s lead negotiator on one of the most consequential legislative files facing European agriculture in the coming mandate.

The appointment relates to the European Parliament’s work on the Implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy for the period 2028–2034 (CAP Regulation) – legislation that will directly shape how EU farm supports are designed, funded and delivered in the next Multiannual Financial Framework.

As Shadow Rapporteur for Renew Europe - a grouping which includes MEPs from 24 different countries including six Irish MEPs [four Fianna Fáil, one Independent Ireland and one Independent] - MEP Cowen will play a central role in negotiating the Parliament’s position on the future CAP, including core issues such as direct payments, coupled support for vulnerable and strategic sectors, supports for young farmers, and the overall balance between income stability, sustainability and food security.

Crucially, this file marks the transition from political positioning to binding legislation, meaning decisions taken during these negotiations will have a direct and lasting impact on farm incomes and rural communities across Ireland and the European Union.

Negotiations within the European Parliament are expected to begin in early 2026, with the aim of concluding substantial elements of the Parliament’s position by the end of that year. This timeline aligns with Ireland holding the EU Council Presidency in the second half of 2026, placing Ireland at the heart of both the parliamentary and inter-institutional negotiations on the future of the CAP.

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The appointment builds on MEP Cowen’s growing influence within Renew Europe on agricultural policy, following his recent role as lead negotiator on the Parliament’s report on the future of the CAP and his continued advocacy for a properly funded, ring-fenced CAP that puts food security and farm viability at its core.

In particular, MEP Cowen’s legislative victories in the form of his defence of Ireland’s cooperative model in his role as lead negotiator on the reform of the Common Market Organisation and his championing of key amendments to the safeguards behind the proposed Mercosur trade agreement contributed to this appointment.

Speaking following his appointment, Barry Cowen MEP said: “This is a hugely significant legislative file and I am honoured to be appointed Renew Europe’s Shadow Rapporteur at such a decisive moment for European agriculture.

“For the first time in this cycle, we are moving beyond high-level debate and into the hard legislative choices that will determine how the CAP actually works on the ground – from direct payments and coupled supports to how we sustain farm incomes and encourage generational renewal.”

“Ireland has a vital stake in these negotiations. Decisions taken here will directly affect family farms, food production and rural communities for the next decade. I will be using this role to strongly defend coupled payments for struggling and strategic sectors, fair and predictable direct payments, and meaningful supports for young farmers.”

“With negotiations expected to gather pace under Ireland’s EU Presidency in 2026, this appointment puts Ireland in a strong position to shape the future of the CAP. My priority will be to ensure that the next CAP is properly funded, genuinely workable for farmers, and recognises food security as a strategic necessity – not an afterthought.”

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