The elections to the European Parliament, which will be held in Ireland tomorrow, May 24 and will be held throughout the European Union from May 23 to 26, will be of great importance for determining the future direction of agriculture in Ireland and the EU.

The new European Parliament will become the key decision-maker during significant reforms and shocks of the sector.

Many major agri-food policies and programs are being reviewed, and there are many new challenges facing the sector that need to be addressed across the EU.

The EU multi-year budget for 2021-2027 will determine the level of funding available for the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for the period after 2020.

This budget is currently under discussion at the technical level by EU Member States, and CAP funding is under direct threat, with proposals for a potential reduction of between 5-15 percent.

Such a reduction will not only have a significant impact directly on direct payments to farmers, but will also affect the available types of market management and rural development programs and their effectiveness. In Ireland, it is believed that the next parliament will have to give its consent to the final agreed budget of the ATS.