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To the kind attention of: Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture Brussels, 15 June 2026 Subject: Defending and Strengthening Social Conditionality in the Future CAP Dear Minister, Dear Mr Johannes Terras, The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), and the European Federation of Food, Agricul- ture and Tourism Trade Unions (EFFAT), representing 45 million workers across Europe, are writ- ing to urge you to safeguard and strengthen the social dimension of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and, in particular, the Social Conditionality mechanism. According to information available to us, the Cyprus Presidency intends to propose the removal of social conditionality from the future CAP framework. This proposal is currently being discussed within the Council’s Working Party on Horizontal Agricultural Questions, which is preparing the polit- ical discussions at the forthcoming Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AgriFish Council) on 22–23 June. Social conditionality is one of the most important social achievements of the latest EU legislative term. For the first time, the receipt of CAP payments has been linked to compliance with a set of labour rights, including occupational health and safety standards. This reflects a simple and widely supported principle: public money should not subsidise violations of workers’ rights. As discussions on the future of the CAP advance, it is essential that social conditionality remains a central pillar of European agricultural policy. The European trade union movement will not accept a rollback of this fundamental principle which promotes the responsible and ethical use of EU taxpay- ers’ money and the protection of farm workers and responsible employers. These hard-won protec- tions must not be dismantled under the guise of “simplification”. Rather than weakening this instrument, the forthcoming CAP revision should be used as an opportunity to strengthen its effect- iveness, broaden its scope, and improve its implementation and enforcement, in line with the pro- posals advanced by EFFAT. At a time when directly employed workers are essential to sustain agricultural production, and when labour shortages continue to affect the sector across Europe, improving working conditions must be recognised as a strategic priority. Poor wages, precarious employment, health and safety risks, and labour exploitation are among the key factors undermining the attractiveness of agricultural work. If properly implemented and enforced, social conditionality can make a significant contribution to im- proving labour standards in the primary sector, strengthening Europe’s long-term resilience and competitiveness. In recent months, several misleading arguments have been raised against social conditionality in Council discussions. Claims that it creates additional administrative burdens are unfounded. Social conditionality does not impose any paperwork on farmers, nor does it introduce new obligations; it 1 simply links CAP payments to compliance with labour and occupational safety legislation that em- ployers are already legally required to respect. Likewise, it does not require new inspections, as it relies on existing labour enforcement mechanisms. The argument that social conditionality constitutes a “double penalty” is equally misleading. Labour law sanctions are the legal consequence of violating workers’ rights. Social conditionality serves a different and complementary purpose: ensuring that public subsidies are granted only to beneficiar- ies who comply with applicable labour standards. It is a matter of accountability and ethical use of public funds. Social conditionality has the potential to become a powerful tool for raising labour standards in one of the most precarious sectors of the economy. Agriculture continues to record high rates of work- place accidents, undeclared work, labour exploitation and abuse, particularly affecting seasonal, mobile and migrant workers. At the same time, social conditionality supports responsible employers who respect labour standards and face unfair competition from those that don’t. We call on your leadership to defend a principle that has only recently begun to deliver. Social con- ditionality is fair, proportionate and necessary. It contributes to protecting workers, ensuring fair competition between farmers, strengthening public trust in the CAP, and making the European ag- ricultural sector more attractive, sustainable and competitive. We trust that you will support the preservation and strengthening of social conditionality in the forth- coming CAP reform and oppose any attempt to remove or weaken this important instrument. We remain at your disposal should you require any further information. Yours sincerely, Esther Lynch Enrico Somaglia General Secretary ETUC General Secretary EFFAT 2 Saatja: "Victor Plyson" <[email protected]> Saaja: "Karmen Joller - SOM" <[email protected]>, "Maarjo Mändmaa - SOM" <[email protected]>, "Info - SOM" <[email protected]>, "Erkki Keldo - MKM" <[email protected]>, [email protected], "info - MKM" <[email protected]> Teema: Defending Social Conditionality in the Common Agricultural Policy Kuupäev: 2026-06-29 14:53 Tähelepanu! Tegemist on välisvõrgust saabunud kirjaga. Tundmatu saatja korral palume linke ja faile mitte avada. * To the kind attention of the Estonian Minister of Social Affairs * To the kind attention of the Estonian Minister of Economy and Industry Dear Ministers, Dear Ms Joller and Mr Keldo, We are writing to draw your attention on an important matter that concern farm workers and responsible employers in the agriculture sector. Thanks to the introduction of Social Conditionality in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the receipt of CAP payments has, for the first time, been linked to compliance with a set of labour rights, including occupational health and safety standards. This landmark reform reflects a simple and widely supported principle: public money should not subsidise violations of workers' rights. Unfortunately, this important achievement is now under serious threat. Following the European Commission's proposal of July last year, which already weakened the principle of Social Conditionality, the Cyprus Presidency has now gone even further by proposing its complete removal from the Common Agricultural Policy (see <https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-10721-2026-INIT/en/pdf> ST 10721 2026 INIT - NOTE and <https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-10367-2026-INIT/en/pdf> ST 10367 2026 INIT - NOTE). If adopted, this proposal would dismantle one of the most significant social achievements of the last EU legislative term and send a deeply negative political signal regarding the EU's commitment to protecting workers' rights. Such a decision would be detrimental not only to farm workers, but also to the vast majority of responsible employers who comply with labour standards and currently face unfair competition from a minority who do not. We are therefore sharing with you a letter addressed to the Estonian Minister of Agriculture by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions (EFFAT), representing 45 million workers across Europe. The letter sets out in greater detail the reasons why Social Conditionality should be preserved and strengthened. Social Conditionality is an important tool for raising labour standards in one of the most challenging and precarious sectors of the economy. The ongoing CAP reform should be an opportunity to <https://effat.org/in-the-spotlight/a-new-day-for-cap-effat-calls-for-a-more-social-common-agricultural-policy-post-2027/> strengthen this instrument, not to weaken, or even abolish it. As this issue primarily concerns the protection of workers and the enforcement of labour rights, matters that fall within your ministerial responsibility, we call on your support to defend Social Conditionality and opposing any attempt to weaken or remove it from the Common Agricultural Policy. We remain at your disposal should you require any further information. Yours sincerely, Enrico Somaglia Esther Lynch General Secretary, EFFAT General Secretary, ETUC