One of the current European public debates concerns the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the most integrated European policy created over the last 60 years. Given the challenges of sustainable food and nutrition security, innovation should be an important aspect of that debate. Our organisations, Wageningen University & Research (Wageningen UR) and Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), believe that a broad dissemination of results from our research contributes to creating benefit. This benefit is created not only through novel applications of technologies but also by working on societal challenges through dialogue with society and contributing to government policy and legislation. We are both concerned and thrilled about the future of the CAP. Concerned because of the need to take the right science-based decisions to ensure the long-term future of European agriculture as one of the most innovative, socially responsible and sustainable sectors in the world. And thrilled, because contributing to this promising long-term future provides our institutions with great challenges for partnerships with governments, farmers, consumers, private business, NGOs and scientific peers. The authors of this policy brief, experts in European research and innovation policy as well as in agricultural policy, have tried to take a critical look at the current CAP and more specifically how it supports innovation for European agriculture, food and rural areas. They have come up with suggestions to take on board in the public debate on the future CAP. Even it is not easy to have à clear picture of the total amount of regional, national and European public funds made available for innovation in agriculture, food and rural areas, we think that the share of the CAP budget specifically devoted to innovation (today, at best a few percentage points of Pillar II expenditure) is too limited. It should at least be doubled in the next CAP. The authors want to thank policy officers in the Dutch and French Ministries, as well as in the European Commission, for stimulating discussions. They very warmly thank Professor Alan Matthews for his very careful review of an earlier draft of the paper and his very useful remarks and suggestions. The Dutch authors thank the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality for financing part of this study and their travel expenses. We look forward to the responses in the public debate on the thoughts reflected in in the public debate on the thoughts reflected in this policy brief.