Thematic clusters boost the CAP implementation
Four thematic cluster meetings have already taken place in the first months of 2026, allowing National Networks to share experiences and knowledge and plan future activities.
Since the beginning of the new programming period, thematic clusters have gathered National Networks (NNs) around specific topics of interest. NNs lead this activity – organising and coordinating in-person and online meetings – and can count on the support of the EU CAP Network in the frame of its work on the CAP implementation.
Cluster meetings allow for informal exchanges that are an effective way to boost networking and collaboration among NNs. They also provide valuable input to EU-level activities by the EU CAP Network.
Four thematic cluster meetings have already taken place in the first months of 2026, setting the direction of travel for the months to come. Find some key insights below.
Rural youth and generational renewal
The 20th meeting of the cluster on rural youth and generational renewal – coordinated by the Portuguese NN – took place online in January and focused on the most effective ways for NNs to reach out to young audiences, building on previous conversations.
Members of this cluster agreed on the importance of mapping rural youth organisations in each country, as the first step towards engaging more with young farmers and young people in rural areas. The mapping will be one of the main objectives of this cluster for 2026, as it will help NNs identify possible partnerships with rural youth organisations.
While aware of challenges, such as NGOs’ limited resources and time for extra activities, NNs consider this a very effective way to connect better with young people, including by creating youth-led content and other communication and outreach activities.
We intend to continue the work initiated at the first face-to-face meeting, focusing on reducing the distance between NNs and rural youth, creating partnerships with different youth associations, which may be rural, young farmers or even student associations. We want to design an activity plan that will serve as a guide for the group and reflect our commitment to the theme of this cluster.
Engaging and supporting rural youth is a strategic priority for the sustainability and viability of European agriculture. The EU CAP Network has already worked extensively on this topic, including through a dedicated Thematic Group, publications and a recent seminar on ‘The Right to Stay'.
Regional antennae
The 14th cluster meeting, dedicated to regional antennae (decentralised structures supporting the work of the main NN offices), was coordinated by the Spanish NN and convened online on 28 January, welcoming new members from Estonia and France.
This meeting was the opportunity for members to learn about the Interreg project Coop4RuralGov, where regions in Estonia, Spain, Ireland and Bulgaria are collaborating around the important topic of rural proofing. This approach aims at ensuring that laws and public policies, often designed with urban realities in mind, do not have negative impacts on rural areas. Participants also highlighted the links between the rural proofing approach and that of Smart Villages.
The debate also highlighted that rural areas are much more than just agriculture, yet other areas such as culture, public services, education, entrepreneurship, digital innovation and community life - key to balanced territorial development - are not always considered in decision-making processes.
Particular emphasis was placed on the role of NNs to connect local actors, highlight the diversity of rural realities and act as a bridge between territories and policy makers, which can help to ensure that public policies are better adapted to local needs.
LEADER and Smart Villages
This thematic cluster kicked off on 12 February with an online meeting coordinated by the Hungarian NN. It focuses on the possibilities and challenges of the new LEADER concept in the draft National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs) and in regulations for the post 2027 CAP.
It's interesting to see and discuss smart solutions in rural areas. Smart village is a new topic for many Member States, planned through the LEADER programme or as a new area that can possibly be supported in the CAP Strategic Plans.
Members of this cluster used the first meeting to introduce themselves and list topics of interest to discuss in the next meetings. These included monitoring and self-assessment practices by Local Action Groups (LAGs), and how to communicate the added value and differences between smart villages and LEADER. The cluster will also enable the sharing of good practices across different Member States.
Consultations for the National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPP)
Another thematic cluster that just started will focus on the involvement of NNs in the consultations for the design and development of the NRPP, which will be introduced in the next programming period. This cluster, led by the Irish NN, gathered for the first time on 3 March.
The first meeting highlighted that some of the 12 NNs participating in this cluster are already involved in consultations and stakeholder engagement related to the post-2027 CAP, including the Finnish and Latvian NNs. Many are keen to understand how this process is being carried out in other Member States and to explore what insights and approaches could be brought back to their own countries.
National Networks have a key role to play in supporting inclusive consultations for the next programming period. By bringing Networks together through this thematic cluster, we can exchange practical approaches and ensure that stakeholder voices meaningfully inform the National and Regional Partnership Plans.
Thematic clusters in practice
The EU CAP Network currently has eight active clusters: communication, involvement of Pillar 1 stakeholders and dissemination of CAP Strategic Plans; rural youth and generational renewal; green architecture and eco-schemes; CAP evaluation and monitoring; regional antennae; LEADER and smart villages; innovation and AKIS; and NRPP consultation (involvement of NNs in the design of the future NRPPs).
If you want to know more about the thematic clusters, subscribe to the EU CAP Network newsletter for regular updates and check the presentations shared by the National Networks during the NN meetings.
