Magdalena Pistorius
Sovereignty at the heart of Macron’s Europe vision
French President Emmanuel Macron, who is building suspense over whether he will run for a second term, has a vision of "refounding" a more sovereign Europe. EURACTIV France reports.
Reducing pesticide use requires ‘coordinated effort’, says French minister
Finding alternatives to plant protection products requires a "coordinated effort" from all member states, French Ecological Transition Minister Barbara Pompili, who presided over the talks with EU agriculture ministers in Amiens from 20-22 January, has said. EURACTIV France reports.
France to push EU states to approve avian flu vaccine for poultry
Two vaccines will soon be tested in France in response to the worst avian influenza outbreak Europe has ever faced, French Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie has announced. The aim is for them to be approved for all 27 EU member states. EURACTIV France reports.
French CAP plan prioritises legumes, hedges and carbon farming
France's national strategic plan for the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), which was submitted to the European Commission at the end of 2021, prioritises legume production, the planting of hedges and carbon farming. EURACTIV France reports.
Nine member states including Germany missed first CAP deadline
One-third of the 27 EU countries missed the official deadline for submitting their national strategic plans under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), including Germany and Belgium, a European Commission source confirmed to EURACTIV.
France and Austria ask Brussels to develop EU plant-based protein strategy
French and Austrian agriculture ministers signed a joint declaration to strengthen the production of plant-based proteins such as soybeans, legumes, and oilseeds in the EU and increase "the EU's self-sufficiency". EURACTIV France reports.
France to strongly back Commission’s deforestation proposal during EU presidency
France will back the European Commission in fighting deforestation and defending a "high" level of ambition when it takes on the French EU Council Presidency in January for six months, French Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie told EU agriculture ministers on 13 December.
NEWBIE on the block: How support networks can encourage farming debutants
The lack of young farmers remains a major challenge for the agrifood world. EURACTIV takes a look at a new project exploring how newcomers can be supported in establishing resilient and sustainable farm businesses across Europe.
Everything you need to know ahead of the CAP final vote
It's crunch time for the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), with lawmakers in the European Parliament set to give their green light to the reform of the EU's farming policy once and for all on Tuesday (23 November). So, what should you know ahead of the vote?
French farmers endorse carbon farming but highlight transition costs
With its low carbon strategy, the French government aims to green agriculture through the development of carbon sequestration in soils. French farmers salute the strategy but call for stronger aids for the transition to be financially sustainable.
French beekeepers call for immediate ban on common herbicide to help ailing sector
French beekeepers have called for a ban on the second most widely used herbicide, profulscarb, saying that this is needed to protect the ailing sector which is reeling from the worst honey harvest to date. EURACTIV France reports.
Industry, NGOs clash over role of genetics in agricultural transition
While the French seed industry, the government, and the European Commission agree on the need to develop crop varieties further, NGOs have warned of risks linked with deregulating new genomic techniques.
Farm to Fork studies do not give ‘whole picture’, agri stakeholders warn
Agricultural productivity could decline if several studies on Farm to Fork policy impact are to be believed. But critics say the studies do not paint the whole picture and the EU's flagship food policy is on the right track.
Farmers will not ‘sit around and wait’ amid uncertainty over CAP strategic plans
European farmers’ leeway for planning the changes needed to implement Common Agricultural Policy's new green architecture is shrinking, as it remains uncertain whether all member states will submit the national strategic plans on time.
French agencies to check pesticide exposure of residents in wine-growing areas
France's food and public health agencies, Anses and Santé Publique France, have announced that they would be launching a study on pesticide exposure among people living in wine-growing areas. The issue is of growing concern in France and the EU.
Macron presents France’s 2030 objectives, backed by €30 billion
French President Emmanuel Macron presented a massive investment plan, “France 2030”, on Tuesday (12 October). Backed by €30 billion, the plan will support innovation in flagship projects such as small-scale nuclear reactors and the first low-carbon aircraft.
EU market protection, farmers’ income dominate French livestock summit talks
During France's upcoming EU Council presidency, reciprocity will be the name of the game for its Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie, who took the opportunity during a recent agricultural summit to emphasise the importance of protecting the European market and farmers' wages
French mega-basins project defended by agriculture minister ‘worries’ Commission
The European Commission is worried about a project that aims to build agricultural mega-basins in France's Poitou-Charentes region. While farmers, activists, residents and Green MEPs see it as "water grabbing", French Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie see it as smart water management.
After ‘Mercron’: What German elections could mean for the Franco-German tandem
With the Merkel era coming to an end, both the Franco-German relationship and the tandem’s role in the EU are at a watershed. For the moment, however, France seems to be holding its breath.
Agrifood Brief: Got (bio) milk?
After riding high on a wave of rapidly growing consumer demand for more organic products, the French 'bio' milk branch is facing an unprecedented decline in demand this year.
New German arable strategy fails to impress environmentalists, organic farmers
Although Germany's annual harvest and arable farming report was revised at the end of August to take account of the climate crisis, it still includes changes that remain just 'symbolic politics' for environmentalist NGOs and organic farmers.
How will Germany implement the CAP’s green targets?
EU farm ministers agreed to a new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in July that favours "greener" farming practices, with terms like "eco-schemes" and environmental "conditionality" taking centre stage during the negotiations. But what does this concretely mean for German agriculture? EURACTIV Germany reports.
From Chirac to Macron: The four Franco-German duos of the Merkel era
Following Chancellor Angela Merkel's recent visit to France for her last working dinner with President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, EURACTIV France takes a look at the past four "leadership couples" at the heart of Franco-German relations.