Al Nahyan-controlled companies benefit from European public funds for large-scale agriculture in Romania, Italy and Spain.
The ruling family of the United Arab Emirates has received more than €71 million in European Union agricultural subsidies over six years through a network of companies operating farmland across Europe, a new investigation has revealed.
According to a cross-border probe by DeSmog, shared with The Guardian, subsidiaries linked to the Al Nahyan family and one of Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth funds, ADQ, collected the funds for operations in Romania, Italy and Spain between 2019 and 2024. The crops produced are primarily destined for export to the Gulf region.
Use of public funds for Gulf-linked private interests:
The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) provides direct payments to farmers based on land area and other criteria, aiming to support European agriculture and rural economies. However, critics argue that the system increasingly benefits large agribusinesses and wealthy foreign investors rather than small-scale European farmers.
The investigation traced more than 110 subsidy payments to entities controlled by the Al Nahyans, one of the world’s wealthiest royal families. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and other senior members of the family are central to the ownership structure.
Food security drive meets European subsidies:
The UAE has aggressively pursued overseas agricultural investments as part of its long-term food security strategy, given the country’s arid climate and limited arable land. Acquiring farmland in water-rich European countries allows the Gulf state to secure stable supplies of grains, fruits and other commodities for its growing population and expanding food processing industries.
While such investments are legal and common among sovereign wealth funds and international investors, the scale of EU taxpayer support flowing to one of the world’s richest families has raised questions about the equity and purpose of the bloc’s agricultural subsidy regime.
EU Farm Subsidy Use Faces Transparency Concerns:
Environmental and transparency groups have criticised the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for weak oversight of who ultimately benefits from subsidies, especially when funds reach large corporations or foreign investors.
An EU agriculture policy analyst said taxpayers should know where their money goes, arguing that subsidies meant for European rural communities are indirectly supporting large-scale farming linked to wealthy Gulf investors.
EU officials have not yet commented, but the issue is expected to intensify debates on CAP reform ahead of future budget talks. The UAE embassy in Brussels and involved companies also did not respond. The case highlights concerns over global food supply chains, Gulf investments, and the use of European public funds beyond the region.