Author: Trevor Donnellan (Teagasc)
Editor: Miranda García (AEIDL)
From 26 to 29 August 2025, Bonn, Germany, hosted the XVIII European Association of Agricultural Economists (EAAE) Congress, a landmark event coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the EAAE. The congress brought together over 1.000 agricultural economists, researchers, and policymakers to exchange knowledge and debate the future of food system transformation. And Tools4CAP was there to take part.
The project was well represented at this high-level event, with several project partners and the coordinator contributing to the symposium “CAP Strategic Planning: Perspectives and Tools.” The session, chaired by Trevor Donnellan (Teagasc), brought together experts and policymakers to reflect on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy and the role of evidence-based tools in shaping strategic plans.
The session explored the proposed changes to the CAP under the next Multi-annual Financial Framework (2028–2034), alongside a discussion of modelling tools and strategic planning in agricultural policy. It also highlighted the integration of the CAP into a single National and Regional Partnership Fund (NRPF), which some view as a potential “renationalisation” of agricultural policy.
Participants highlighted the need for multiple linked models to assess sustainability across economic, environmental, and social dimensions. They also discussed the challenges and opportunities for evidence-based policymaking in both current and future CAP frameworks, stressing the importance of closer collaboration between science and policy to strengthen strategic planning and ensure more effective, informed decision-making.
The discussion also touched on current challenges in CAP Strategic Plans, such as limited use of evidence, lack of meaningful stakeholder participation, and insufficient evaluation of impacts. Speakers emphasised the urgency of integrating scientific research, robust data systems, and participatory approaches to design future CAPs that deliver tangible results.
Presentations and panel
The session featured presentations from leading researchers and policymakers, including:
- Alan Matthews (Trinity College Dublin, Tools4CAP Advisory Board member).
- Erjavec Emil, Ilona Rac, and Luka Juvancic (University of Ljubljana, Tools4CAP partner).
- Ana Rosa González Martínez, Roel Jongeneel, and Marcel van Asseldonk (Wageningen Social & Economic Research, Tools4CAP partner).
A panel discussion followed, with contributions from Simone Sterly (IfLS, Tools4CAP partner), Bérénice Dupeux (Ecorys, Tools4CAP Coordinator), alongside Alexandre Gohin (INRAE), John Helming (Wageningen University & Research), Sophie Helaine (DG AGRI) and Aard Mulders (Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, NL).
With over 150 participants, the symposium fostered debate on the future direction of the CAP and highlighted the essential role of research and modelling tools in driving evidence-based decisions for the EU’s agricultural policy.