Agrifood
Germany’s roadmap for greener CAP subsidies
EU countries have been given more freedom than ever to implement national agricultural policies that are more climate and environmentally friendly. But where does Germany stand when it comes to implementing the EU's plans for a greener agriculture?
Next generation livestock farming: technology and tomorrow’s farmers
While livestock farmers already use a range of innovative tools and technologies to help ease their workload, new precision livestock farming technologies go a step further, paving the way for a digital transformation in animal health. From detection and monitoring...
RED III: Europe’s reality check
Transport is responsible for 27% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU and several pieces of legislation have failed to bring about major changes. The EU executive has already admitted that by 2030, oil will still drive Europe’s cars....
Reset, restart: Transforming the EU food system
It is becoming increasingly clear that the way that we produce, consume, and discard food is having a huge impact on our health and that of our environment.
(Agri-food) life after Brexit
After having agreed on the terms of their separation, the EU and the UK are faced with a potential mismatch between the two sides of the Channel when it comes to agriculture and foodstuff. While the EU is rethinking the...
Gene editing: The latest developments in the EU
The use of gene-editing technologies has come under increasing scrutiny in the EU over the past few years, following the 2018 European Court of Justice ruling that gene-edited organisms should fall, in principle, under the EU’s GMO directive. The European...
Sustainable farming ambitions: between the CAP and the Green Deal
After years of negotiations, there is finally light at the end of the tunnel for reaching a deal on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). However, much has changed in the EU policy landscape when it comes to...
EU-Africa: translating green agrifood ambitions
On the backdrop of the COVID-19 crisis, the EU is currently establishing a new ‘strategic partnership’ with Africa, of which agriculture is a key focus. The aims of the EU’s flagship environmental policy, the Green Deal, combined with the COVID-19...
From surviving to thriving: preparing for the future of the hospitality sector
From restaurant closures to travel restrictions, the hospitality sector has been one of the hardest hit by the COVID pandemic that is threatening thousands of jobs and livelihoods across the EU. But as the rollout of the COVID vaccine gets...
Green Deal and agriculture: between words and deeds
Lying at the heart of the European Green Deal, the Farm to Fork and the Biodiversity strategies play a key role in shaping the debate around the future of the European agri-food sector. In its flagship food policy, the EU...
EU agrifood relations with Africa: what lies ahead?
The European Union is reshaping its approach to Africa, hoping to promote long-term sustainable food systems and help their people cope with the side-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Farm to Fork: what role for consumers and innovation
Although reduction targets set in the EU's flagship food policy stole public opinion's attention at first, consumer behaviour and innovation are expected to have an equal, critical role to play in the path toward more sustainable food system.
Wholesome whole grains: how to encourage uptake in the EU
This year has served as a stark reminder of the need for a resilient, sustainable, and healthy food system. As many consumers turn to healthier food options in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers continue to tackle the eternal...
EU agriculture and Mercosur: what is the state of play?
The entry into force of the Mercosur deal – set to forge a trade area between the EU27 and Mercosur countries, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay – remains a controversial topic amongst agrifood stakeholders. The deal was struck in 2019,...
New terminologies in sustainable food systems
The recent drive for sustainability has seen the emergence of a number of new terminologies, including agroecology, agroforestry and urban farming. The adoption of these new notions into the sustainability discourse has been rapid and has sometimes made new concepts...
Exploring sustainability in the EU livestock sector
Animal welfare is set to take centre stage in agrifood policy over the coming months, as it is a major focus of the EU’s Farm to Fork strategy (F2F), and a key theme of the German EU Presidency priorities. In this Special Report, EURACTIV looks at what sustainability in the sector should look like and the ways in which it can be achieved in the EU.
Innovation in agriculture: Europe at crossroads
One of the main issues that the European Commission and EU member states will have to face in the coming years is how to handle innovation in Europe’s agricultural sector. The agricultural sector’s fight to mitigate climate change and improve...
Farm to Fork: In search of a solution-oriented approach
The debate on targets has inevitably prompted extensive attention before and after the launch of the Farm to Fork strategy (F2F) and other crucial aspects, like its practical implementation, have been neglected so far.
Circular economy in Spanish agri-food sector
The Spanish agri-food sector is taking a central role in the uptake of the circular economy, by reusing raw materials and reducing waste in both agriculture and food production.
How is tech revolutionising the agricultural sector?
High-tech is gaining ground in the age-old world of agriculture and agricultural innovations have gradually revolutionised work in the fields and on the farm in recent years.
Sustainable food systems in the Farm to Fork strategy
Embedding the concept of sustainability in the way we produce and consume our foodstuff represents a challenge for the food systems as we know them today. But it also offers opportunities for growth, once it becomes clear how to lead the transition.
Innovation, CAP and Green Deal: A tough equation?
The new Green Deal will have a direct impact on the ongoing negotiations about the post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) as EU farmers will be asked to re-adjust the way they work to the new green objectives.
Bioeconomy in the CAP’s nine objectives
Bioeconomy will play a crucial role in delivering the European Union's environmental and climate neutrality agenda. The farm sector is no exception and at least half of the nine objectives of the post-2020 EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) relate directly to this concept.