# Let's return to the Commission's proposal concerning operational funds for fruit and vegetable producer organizations > How the new CAP proposal threatens to reduce actual support for the European fruit and vegetable sector, shifting the financial burden onto Member States and jeopardising future investment --- Consulta la previsión del tiempo en tu localización exactaSuscríbete a nuestra Newsletter semanal ![Gradient Background](/img/headerGradient.svg) [Las Píldoras de la PAC](https://www.plataformatierra.es/comunidad/las-pildoras-de-la-pac) [![blog author](https://static.plataformatierra.es/strapi-uploads/assets/tomas_garcia_azcarate_221cb14892.jpg) Tomás García AzcárateEconomista especializado en PAC y mercados agroalimentarios](https://www.plataformatierra.es/autor/tomas-garcia-azcarate) 19 May 2026 3 min # Let's return to the Commission's proposal concerning operational funds for fruit and vegetable producer organizations Comercio Exterior Cadena de Valor Economía Agroalimentaria PAC Producción Vegetal ![Web agricultor comisión europea](https://static.plataformatierra.es/strapi-uploads/assets/web_agricultor_Comision_Europea_52796c3863.jpeg) Guardar Compartir --- We already addressed this issue in the article "The European fruits and vegetables producers and the Commission's proposal for a new CAP," published on this same blog. There, we explained that "this proposal meets neither the needs of European fruit and vegetable producers, nor the declarations and objectives announced by the Commission." **The fruit and vegetable sector is undoubtedly the sector most affected by this proposal, the one bearing the brunt of the most direct and brutal attack.** ![](https://static.plataformatierra.es/strapi-uploads/assets/The_European_fruits_and_vegetables_producers_and_the_Commission_s_proposal_for_a_new_CAP_ENG_b31c53c25e.webp) The European fruits and vegetables producers and the Commission's proposal for a new CAP [Leer la publicación](https://www.plataformatierra.es/comunidad/las-pildoras-de-la-pac/the-european-fruits-and-vegetables-producers-and-the-commission-s-proposal-for-a-new-cap) For the reasons that justify such radical statements coming from a person like me who describes himself politically as "extreme centrist", I invite the reader to follow the link to the previously cited article. Well, I met a great friend, who runs a major cooperative and producers' organisation, who was kind enough to share his doubts about my categorical statements. His argument is interesting and deserves to be taken seriously. With the new system, and in particular with national co-financing, public support for operational funds could, according to the Commission's proposal, reach 75 % of the operational funds, which would represent a significant boost for producers' organisations. If this were to prove true, if public funding of operating funds were to increase to 75 %, there would be food for thought. But I'm convinced that won't happen, just as I'm convinced that Santa Claus doesn't exist, even though I wish he did. And I have many reasons to think so. 1. **The European budget allocated to agriculture is going to decrease**. We don't know by how much, but we do know it will decrease. In the best-case scenario, all sectors will have to fight to "share" a reduced budget. 2. How easy it is for the Commission to use other people's money! It cuts its own budget, but lets other administrations increase theirs and presents it as a good deal. **What generosity!** 3. The Commission's strategy is clear: it has concentrated available (and limited) resources, prioritising immediate payments —direct aid— to appease agricultural unions and farmers **(money for today)**, at the expense of investment and the environment (money for the future). If Member States wish to invest in the environment, infrastructure, and animal welfare, they should co-finance it. 4. Do we really believe that the economic situation of our countries will be better in the coming years than it has been in recent years? Will the coffers of the states and regions be fuller? **I don't think so.** 5. And let's not even mention what might happen if the politicians who promise to lower taxes actually came to power and, this time, actually kept their promise! 6. The reduced European sub-budget allocated to member states for agriculture allows for the financing of actions fully funded by Brussels and others that are co-financed. It seems clear to me that member states will prioritise spending that does not require national funds. **This means that the budget for co-financed actions will be further reduced.** 7. For the few euros we have left, all stakeholders will try to limit the imposed budget cuts: those affecting fruit and vegetables and wine, those impacting environmentalists (agrienvironment, organic farming), animal welfare, those affecting seafarers and fishermen (former fishing Fund), and those affecting workers and employers (former social Fund). And, last but not least, the cuts also affect local authorities (Regional and Cohesion Funds), as the European Committee of the Regions rightly points out. > Do we really believe that we are going to win at this game and increase the stake for fruit and vegetable OPs by 50 %? [License![Licencia Creative Commons Atribución 4.0 Internacional. Se permite la reproducción total o parcial del contenido siempre que se cite la fuente original.](https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png)](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Esta obra está bajo una [Licencia Creative Commons Atribución 4.0 Internacional. Se permite la reproducción total o parcial del contenido siempre que se cite la fuente original.](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) --- Guardar Compartir --- Descarga de responsabilidad: Plataforma Tierra se exime de cualquier tipo de responsabilidad derivada del contenido publicado en el presente espacio web por sus respectivos autores. Los respectivos autores firmantes del contenido publicado en este espacio web son los exclusivos responsables del mismo, de su alcance y efectos, los cuales garantizan que dicho contenido no es contrario a la ley, la moral y al orden público, y que no infringen derechos de propiedad intelectual. --- Source: https://www.plataformatierra.es/comunidad/las-pildoras-de-la-pac/the-commission-s-proposal-concerning-operational-funds-for-fruit-and-vegetable-producer-organizations