The European Milk Board (EMB) has said that the European Commission's current budget proposals "give rise to fears that European cohesion will lose strength".

The European Commission has presented its proposal for the next EU long-term budget for 2028-2034 amounting to almost €2 trillion.

€300 billion of that total will be ringfenced in a single fund to support farmers. The budget for the current CAP, which comes to an end in 2027, stands at €387 billion.

The two-pillar structure of the CAP would also be scrapped with the fund merged with rural financial supports into a single National and Regional Partnerships fund.

The EMB is the umbrella organisation for 21 associations representing dairy farmers in 16 European countries.

The organisation warned that if the agricultural budget has to compete with other sectors, and depending on the approach taken by member states to funding, "the EU risks becoming a European patchwork".

"This would lead to increasing inequalities and uncertainty, especially for farmers.

"As long as producers are unable to cover their costs through fair framework conditions on the market, they will be the main losers of such a financial reorganisation," it said.

The EMB reiterated its demand for "fair market conditions to be created politically", particularly in light of the current proposals.

"The European Commission’s approach to the Common Market Organisation reform so far is a start – but only if these proposals are not watered down. They must go further," it said.

The EMB said that European milk producers still expect a great deal from the EU institutions when it comes to obligatory contracts for cooperatives, the implementation of a crisis instrument such as the Market Responsibility Programme and the strengthening of producer groups.

"European citizens need a common agricultural policy to ensure food sovereignty and sustainability in the union.

"It is time for a common, European solution that strengthens the position of all farmers and society as a whole," EMB said.