Slovak Agriculture Minister Calls for Unified V4 Approach to EU Farm Policy Reform

Slovak Agriculture Minister Richard Takáč has urged his counterparts from the Visegrád Four group to coordinate a joint position on reforming the European Union's agricultural policy beyond 2027. The ministers met in the Hungarian city of Balatonfüred, where they agreed to push for a stronger regional voice in shaping the future direction of EU farm policy. Takáč argued that recent crises — including outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease and extreme drought — highlight the urgent need for more flexible emergency mechanisms within EU agricultural frameworks. The Visegrád Four, or V4, is a political and cultural alliance of four Central European countries — Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary — that frequently coordinates positions on European Union policy. The Common Agricultural Policy, the EU's main framework governing farm subsidies and rural development, is due for a major overhaul after its current programming period ends in 2027. By aligning their positions ahead of negotiations, the V4 countries aim to ensure that the specific needs and vulnerabilities of Central European agriculture are reflected in the reformed policy.