IFOAM Organics Europe, a representative body for the EU’s organic farming sector, has described new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) proposals as "a huge step backwards for sustainability".

As part of the European Commission's proposals for the next long-term EU budget of €2 trillion, around €300 billion is earmarked for CAP.

Under the EU Commission's National and Regional Partnership Plans proposal there will be a total of €865 billion for investments and reforms. The commission has set a 43% target for climate and environment for this fund.

However, IFOAM Organics Europe has criticised the proposals to ringfence budget only for income support in the form of area-based payments.

The organisation is calling for a clear ringfencing of CAP money for environment, climate and animal welfare to provide a predictable path for farmers towards sustainability.

Jan Plagge, president of IFOAM Organics Europe said that the commission’s proposal "to safeguard CAP money only for area-based payments is unbalanced and unfit for a future-proof public policy".

"Like it was recommended by the Strategic Dialogue on the future of agriculture that was convened by [EU Commission] President Ursula von der Leyen, at least one third of the CAP budget should be ringfenced for the protection of ecosystems services including organic farming.

"Without a clear direction towards sustainability given by the EU budget and the CAP, there will be a race to the bottom among member states, that will endanger our European food sovereignty," he said.

Plagge added that the "governance framework of the fund and the CAP needs to be strengthened to ensure that the increased flexibility for member states does not lead to a de-prioritisation of sustainability initiatives".

The European organic movement welcomed the recognition that organic farming is a key policy instrument in the post-2027 CAP, but warned that it risks not being implemented by member states without a ringfenced budget for environmental action.

“Farmers engaged into sustainable practices like organic agriculture need a stable policy support that provides a long-term perspective.

"While many decisions on the CAP will have to be taken at national level, organic agriculture is the simplest and most efficient way for member states at the administrative level while ensuring high environmental ambitions, since it is legally regulated at the EU level and already has strong certification systems in place," Plagge said.

The IFOAM Organics Europe president said that "farmers will engage into sustainability if it is profitable, so we need a level playing field in the EU to ensure that sustainability pays off for farmers".