Authors: Anna Gregis (Ecorys) and Miranda García (AEIDL)
Between July 2025 and June 2026, Tools4CAP carried out its second round of Focus Groups, bringing together stakeholders across Europe to explore what will be needed, including specific tools, to design and implement the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) within the proposed National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs).
This second round built on the project’s first round of Focus Groups, held between October 2023 and January 2024, when more than 100 stakeholders participated in 14 national Focus Groups and one EU-level Focus Group to discuss tools and methodologies used to design and monitor the current CAP Strategic Plans.
With the policy context evolving, the second round looked ahead to the post-2027 CAP and the proposed NRPP framework. Through 16 national Focus Groups and one EU-level Focus Group, around 180 participants, including national and regional authorities, researchers, paying agencies, farmers’ organisations and EU-level actors, shared their views on future challenges, opportunities and practical tools.
A major governance shift
The discussions showed that moving from CAP Strategic Plans to the proposed NRPP framework is seen as much more than an administrative change. Participants highlighted uncertainty around who will coordinate the process, how responsibilities will be shared across ministries, regions and other authorities, and how agricultural and rural priorities will compete for resources within a broader multi-fund framework. They also pointed to the challenge of translating EU-level ambitions into national and regional realities, particularly in countries with diverse territorial needs or complex governance structures.
Data and administrative capacity were also recurring concerns. Fragmented databases, limited interoperability, insufficient technical expertise and shortages of human resources could make it difficult to move towards more integrated and evidence-based planning. At the same time, the proposed framework places greater emphasis on results and impacts, while many administrations still rely on systems mainly designed around compliance, expenditure control and eligibility. Moving towards more performance-oriented policymaking will therefore require not only better indicators and monitoring systems, but also stronger analytical and institutional capacity.
At the same time, stakeholders identified important opportunities. A more integrated approach could strengthen links between agricultural, environmental, social and territorial policies, helping Member States address interconnected challenges in a more coherent way. The stronger focus on results could also encourage public funding to be linked more closely to expected outcomes and impacts, rather than focusing mainly on spending and outputs.
Participants also saw scope for better targeted and more cost-effective interventions, adapted to different farm types, regional conditions and policy needs. More structured prioritisation could help align resources with identified needs, reduce overlaps between interventions and make trade-offs more transparent. Finally, earlier and more meaningful stakeholder involvement could strengthen participatory governance, support a shared vision and improve ownership of policy choices throughout the planning process.
No single tool can do the job
One of the clearest findings is that there is no “one-size-fits-all” tool for future CAP planning. Different tools are useful at different stages of the policy cycle: scenario analysis and participatory methods can support needs assessment and vision-building; modelling, impact assessments and intervention logic can inform policy design; while interoperable data systems, indicators and dashboards can strengthen monitoring and evaluation.
The key is to combine them. Tools4CAP’s analysis points towards integrated tool ecosystems that bring together evidence, participation and data, while remaining flexible enough to adapt to national and regional contexts.
Participants also stressed that tools alone cannot address these challenges. Their effective use depends on adequate administrative capacity, access to reliable data, clear institutional responsibilities and the ability to translate evidence into policy decisions.
From findings to action
For public authorities, this means strengthening coordination across institutions, investing in interoperable data and monitoring systems, building administrative capacity and using evidence more systematically for prioritisation and intervention design. Stakeholders also stressed the importance of moving beyond consultation towards earlier and more continuous co-design.
The findings will contribute to the Tools4CAP Handbook of Good Practices, translating lessons from across Europe into practical support for the next generation of CAP governance.
More information: D6.6 Summary report and analysis of the second-round focus groups