Agrifood

EU committee rejects double standards on pesticide levels allowed in food

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?

Strategic Dialogue calls for big changes in EU farm funding

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

What are the controversies around novel foods

The term “novel foods” is becoming more popular by the day. But to make it to the European supermarkets it needs to be assessed by the EU food safety authority and then get the greenlight from the European Commission.

Who will show up for the farmers?

Farmers and the agricultural sector were one of the key issues in the political debate before the European elections. With the vote nowbehind us, we’re looking into what the new parliamentary composition means for the sector in this mandate. Who will sit on the Agri committee and will the electoral promises to farmers be kept? 

Twitter Space: Upcoming EU mandate, what are the new agrifood priorities?

2024 marks the year of another significant change in the EU’s political composition. Every five years, EU leaders collectively determine the EU's political priorities, a process occurring in conjunction with the European Parliament elections and preceding the appointment of each European Commission. Kicked off by the European elections in early June, the shifts in political groups and coalitions within the EU will shape its policy agenda and future legislation.

Listen to this recent Euractiv Twitter Space to gather new information and opinions on the upcoming EU legislation and its possible priorities for the European agricultural sector.

The World Bank’s suggestions for EU agrifood sustainability

While middle-income countries are leading contributors to global emissions from the agrifood system, the wealthy economies should lead increasing investments and shifting to sustainable diets, a recent report from the World Bank highlights.

Farmers take centre stage in parties’ EU election campaigns

After being neglected for years in the public debate, agriculture has become a hot topic at the EU level in recent years.

Concern over Commission’s relaxing of environmental requirements for farmers

On this episode of our daily Today in the EU podcast we break down the concerns expressed regarding the European Commission’s decision to loosen the environmental requirements.

EU leaders meet at a “summit of rural anger”

On this episode of the Today in the EU podcast :As the EU summit on 21 and 22 March looms, farmers take centre stage on the table of the discussions.

The state of the EU agriculture

Farmers’ protests making the headlines these days brought back agriculture in the EU political agenda.

EU proposes new pesticide reduction target amid controversy

The European Commission's plan to reduce pesticide use has faced criticism from European farmers, primarily due to concerns about the availability of alternatives by 2030. In response, a new target is being proposed to make the EU executive accountable for providing …

EU farmers seek dialogue for sustainable food production amid challenges

This week in a special episode for EURACTIV’s Beyond the Byline podcast we explore the challenges and resilience of European farmers within the context of food chains and sustainable food production. We delve into the recent State of the Union address …

Agrifood podcast: A lookahead and a fond look back with a big announcement

This week, EURACTIV’s agrifood team walks you through the fun to come after the summer break, and we take a walk down memory lane reminiscing about all the fun we’ve had on the podcast over the past 3 years on …

Agrifood podcast: Nature restoration special & farming emissions

EURACTIV's agrifood team brings you the latest from Strasbourg where MEPs voted their position on two important files for the future of the EU’s agriculture: the industrial emissions directive and the nature restoration law. We take a deep dive into …

Agrifood podcast: Busiest week of the year & Timmermans interview

This week, EURACTIV talks you through everything you need to know on the presentation of the Commission’s ‘sustainable use of natural resources’, and EURACTIV’s Natasha Foote talks with Vice President Frans Timmermans about his message to farmers amid rising tensions …

Agrifood podcast: Gene editing and soil proposals, regenerative agriculture

This week, EURACTIV's agrifood team debriefs the agriculture ministers' meeting in Luxembourg and looks ahead at the "Food and Biodiversity Package," a set of legislative proposals expected from the European Commission on Wednesday. Over in New York, Gerardo Fortuna spoke …

Agrifood Podcast: Gene-editing leak and animal welfare from a vet’s eyes

This week, EURACTIV's agrifood team talks you through the leaked draft of one of the most contentious proposals from the European Commission in the past months: gene editing. EURACTIV's Paula Andres talks to Mette Uldahl, Vice President of the Federation …

Agrifood Podcast: A sneak peak at Spain’s Presidency priorities and leaked pesticides study

This week, EURACTIV’s agrifood team brings you an exclusive interview with Spain’s agriculture minister, Luis Planas, who details the country’s agricultural priorities ahead of the Spanish presidency starting in July. We also talk you through a leak of an additional …

Agrifood Podcast: EU-Ukraine agri-trade & Indonesian minister talks palm oil

This week, EURACTIV's agrifood team talks you through the EU's decision to extend trade restrictions on select agricultural commodities coming from Ukraine and why this has proven controversial on both sides, and Gerardo Fortuna, together with EURACTIV's very own Transport Editor …

Agrifood podcast: Polish Commissioner, Parliament protests & getting ‘grounded’

This week, EURACTIV’s agrifood team talks you through the controversies at a recent meeting of EU agriculture ministers, including how the EU’s agriculture Commissioner is increasingly prioritising Polish issues, and discusses the pushback to the EU’s nature restoration law, both …

Agrifood Podcast: Parliament battles over votes & CAP environmental exemptions

This week, EURACTIV’s agrifood team walks you through two key votes in the European Parliament on the nature restoration law and EU rules to slash industrial emissions.

Agrifood podcast: Young farmers and animal welfare label

This week, EURACTIV's agrifood team brings you to a young farmers' conference discussing sustainability in agriculture.

Agrifood Podcast: The centre-right’s anti-Green Deal ‘crusade’

EURACTIV's agrifood team discusses the centre-right's attack on the agricultural parts of the EU Green Deal, including the EU's plans to slash the use and risk of pesticides and the EU's nature restoration law.

Agrifood Podcast: PastEUs de nata, year of sustainable food

This week, EURACTIV’s agrifood team tells the story of a Portuguese delicacy that has a strong, unsuspecting link with a foundational moment of the EU’s integration process.