Agrifood
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.
Climate change prevention measures in the new CAP
The new Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union for 2021-2027 will focus even more on climate and environmental issues. In this Special Report, EURACTIV Poland walks you through some of the main changes this will bring.
COP25: Is transport decarbonisation pragmatic enough?
Stakeholders will be meeting in Madrid for the COP25 Climate Change Conference over the next two weeks (2-13 December), and transport decarbonisation is expected to take centre stage in the discussions.
Shedding light on medical cannabis
The medical cannabis industry is growing rapidly in Europe and thousands of patients are already prescribed with cannabis-based drugs. This created a new demand that now runs the risk of being unsatisfied if the legislation remains fragmented amongst EU countries.
Whole grains: key part of healthy and sustainable diet
The Whole Grain Initiative, a partnership of international organisations and scientists dedicated to promoting whole grain diets, held an event on Tuesday (19 November) to mark the first International Whole Grain Day.
EU transport decarbonisation: What’s the cost?
A study by Farm Europe has recently suggested that the current 10-year National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) drafted by EU member states risk being ineffective because they lack a calculation method on the cost-effectiveness of the proposals.
Generational renewal in agriculture
More than 31% of all farms in the EU are run by farmers older than 65, whilst young farmers represent only 6% of European agricultural community. Reversing this trend is one of the toughest challenges for the main EU farming policy.
Brave new food world
At the dawn of a new legislative term, Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen seems determined to increase the ambition on a new integrated food strategy that will involve the entire food supply chain, from farm soils to supermarket shelves.
How Interreg transforms the Mediterranean region
In this Special Report, we will look at how Interreg MED has contributed to the region’s sustainability but also at the programme's future in the EU's next seven-year budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework, considering the planned cuts.
Alternatives to animal testing
The EU legislation provides that principles of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement (3Rs) should be “considered systematically” when animals are used for scientific purposes in the EU These alternatives are basically scientific guiding principles for the more ethical use of animals...
20 Visions for Europe
We gather 20 unique visions on the next two decades of Europe from public officials, intellectuals, artists, diplomats, athletes, civic actors and business representatives.
Biotechnology: Europe’s next ‘hot potato’
The discussion over the future of biotechnology in Europe heated up after the EU Court ruled in July last year that gene editing should, in principle, fall under the GMO Directive. We focus on the future of biotechnology in Europe, the regulatory framework of the so-called new plant-breeding techniques, as well as GMOs.
Communicating modern animal farming
A communication gap between citizens and farmers in the modern livestock sector is increasingly widening and the general sentiment is shifting from an overall good opinion of those who keep feeding the world toward a negative view on farmers' role in today's society.