The United Arab Emirates' ruling Al Nahyan family has collected over €71 million (£61 million) in European Union farming subsidies over six years, according to an investigation by DeSmog shared with the Guardian. The payments were made for farmland controlled by subsidiaries in Romania, Italy, and Spain.
The Al Nahyans, the second richest family in the world with an estimated wealth of over $320 billion, benefit from subsidies under the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which accounts for a third of the EU budget. The investigation traced 110 subsidy payments between 2019 and 2024 to companies linked to the family and its sovereign wealth fund, ADQ.
The largest payments went to Agricost, a Romanian agricultural company that owns the EU's largest single farm, spanning 57,000 hectares. In 2024 alone, Agricost received €10.5 million in direct payments, over 1,600 times the average EU farm subsidy. Campaigners have criticised the payments, noting the UAE's human rights record, including jailed activists and criminalised homosexuality.
The European Commission has proposed capping land-based payments at €100,000 per farmer annually for the next CAP cycle from 2028 to 2034. A spokesperson said income support should be better targeted, including by reducing payments for larger farms. The Al Nahyans and related companies did not respond to requests for comment.
