Beneficiaries of CAP funds

Lists of beneficiaries

The common agricultural policy (CAP) supports almost seven million beneficiaries across the European Union. In the financial year 2022 (claim year 2021), there were more than 5.9 million beneficiaries under direct support schemes, around 3.5 million beneficiaries under rural development programmes, and some 0.11 million beneficiaries of market measures (the majority of rural development beneficiaries also receive income support and are therefore only counted once when considering total beneficiary numbers).

Anyone who receives EU funding under the CAP is included on publicly available lists. These lists are designed to promote transparency and trust in EU funding measures. However, the rules still need to strike a balance between the rights of the public to know how their money has been spent and the rights of individuals to protect their personal data. The data is therefore limited in its scope and only available for a set period.

Beneficiaries by EU country

Under the transparency rules for the CAP, EU countries must publish details of the beneficiaries of CAP payments. Under the CAP 2023-27, this publication must contain:

• the name of the beneficiary, with exceptions made for recipients of very small payments (equal or less than EUR 1 250 for all EU countries);
• for legal entities, if belonging to a group, name of the parent entity and VAT number;
• the municipality where the beneficiary is resident or is registered;
• the specific objective of the operation, which means measure, type of intervention or sector¹;
• the start and end date of the operation;
• the breakdown of the amounts of payments per operation, per fund, as well as the total of the amounts received by
• each beneficiary in the financial year;
• the code, name and purpose of each measure or type of intervention/sector financed by the funds.

^{1 'operation' means measure, type of intervention or sector}

This information is made available by the EU countries themselves and is all published on one website. It is available from the 31 May of the year after the payments were made. This information will be publicly available for two years after its publication.

The content of these websites is the sole responsibility of the countries concerned. The European Commission therefore cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the data or information provided, nor does it accept responsibility or liability for any use made thereof.

United Kingdom

As of 1 February 2020, the United Kingdom is no longer a member of the European Union. The UK should continue publishing details of the beneficiaries of EAFRD co-financed payments for two years until the closure of the respective rural development programmes. The provision and accuracy of this data is the sole responsibility of UK authorities.

Funds for information measures

The European Commission publishes annual lists of funds awarded to projects that aim to inform the public about the CAP.

Every two years the European Commission presents reports on the implementation of the grants to the European Parliament and the Council.

• 2021: report
• 2019: report
• 2017: report, annexes
• 2016: report, annexes
• 2013: report, annexes

Legal bases

For payments related to the 2023-27 CAP:

Regulation (EU) 2021/2116 – on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy [Article 98-99]

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/128 – laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2021/2116 of the European Parliament and of the Council on paying agencies and other bodies, financial management, clearance of accounts, checks, securities and transparency [Articles 58-62, Annex VIII, Annex IX]

Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 – laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, The European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy [Article 49(3)]

For payments related to the 2014-22 CAP:

Regulation (EU) 1306/2013 – on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy. [Articles 111-114]

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 908/2014 – laying down rules for the application of EU regulation 1306/2013 regarding paying agencies and other bodies, financial management, clearance of accounts, rules on checks, securities and transparency [Articles 57-62]