Agrifood Archives

Processed seafood products, such as canned fish, should carry the same labelling as fresh fish to combat illegal fishing and ensure fair competition, European NGOs and fishermen’s organisations have said.

On Wednesday (18 September), MEPs rejected two Commission proposals to adjust the limits for residues of some EU banned chemicals in food, as some of them are not reduced to zero in imported products.

Christophe Hansen, Luxembourg’s nominee for European commissioner, is set to oversee the agriculture and food security portfolio – pending confirmation by the European Parliament – during the 2024-2029 term, Ursula von der Leyen announced to journalists on Tuesday (17 September) in Strasbourg. 

Banned in the EU since 2021, electric pulse fishing must be re-authorised, the Dutch government called for in its plan for agriculture, potentially reopening a drift especially with France and Belgium.

Initiatives related to agriculture, food and, in particular, animal protection and welfare account for an important share of European Citizens' Initiatives (ECIs). Seven of the 10 initiatives the Commission has had to respond to so far under the EU's participatory mechanism fall into these categories.  

Greece outlined measures to boost its lagging birthrate on Thursday (12 September), from vouchers and childcare benefits to tax breaks for new parents, although experts questioned the plan's effectiveness.

EU farmers must comply with strict production standards, and so should third-country producers if they want to export to the EU, according to the latest vote by the ENVI committee. Does this approach signal the start of a new, more protectionist agricultural policy?

The European Union’s top court ruled on Thursday (12 September) that a Hungarian decree setting regulated prices for basic foodstuffs undermines fair competition, in a dispute first brought before a national court by international retailer SPAR.

Brazil on Wednesday (11 September) asked the European Union not to implement regulations in its deforestation law at the end of the year as scheduled and asked for it to be revised to avoid hurting Brazilian exports.

EU considers organic an asset for building more sustainable agriculture, but France and other European countries are struggling with delays in the payment of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) subsidies for farms transitioning to organic cultivation.

Shifts in consumer taste, full cellars and climate change are putting the wine sector under pressure, as tomorrow (11 September) a new EU forum will kick off to seek solutions for the 'sick man' of Europe's food and drink industry.

The newly appointed French Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, is a familiar face in Brussels circles as a former MEP, Commissioner for the Internal Market and Brexit negotiator. But for many, his in-depth knowledge of European agricultural issues may come as a surprise. 

As Italy goes through an epidemic of African swine fever (ASF) that is putting the production of ham under stress, the Commission warns that the bloc is not close to finding a vaccine against the disease.

The Strategic Dialogue on Agriculture’s final recommendations suggest agricultural policy needs to fundamentally change. What does this shift look like?

Poor soft wheat harvests in Europe and increased demand in third countries could intensify the ‘Russification of the market’ to the detriment of the EU, according to experts.

The conclusions of the roundtable on the future of EU agriculture call for a shift away from land-based subsidies towards more support for small farms and incentives for producers who go green while supporting demand for healthy and sustainable diets. 

At a meeting in Cyprus on Tuesday (3 September), agriculture ministers from nine member states urged the bloc's executive to make rapid progress on policies on water security.

Olive oil prices in the EU reached record highs last January, surging by up to 50% compared to the previous year and leading to significant changes in consumers’ choices. 

There’s hardly any competition - let alone fierce rivalry - among member states for the agriculture portfolio at the European Commission. In fact, only one nominee has even expressed interest in the role. 

The president of the influential farmers union, FNSEA, expressed regret over Paris's lack of involvement in shaping the new European Commission, urging French politicians to reengage actively in Brussels, in a press conference on Thursday (29 August).

China announced on 29 August that it would not impose provisional tariffs on EU brandy, signalling a potential easing of trade tensions with the 27-member bloc.

István Nagy, Hungary’s minister of agriculture and current chair of the EU’s Agriculture and Fisheries Council, will deliver the opening remarks at the international non-GMO summit, which this year will focus on the political debate surrounding new genomic techniques (NGTs).

The European Commission proposed restrictive quotas in the Baltic Sea for all species except for herring while also calling for stricter application of EU fishing rules, on Monday (26 August).