Agrifood
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.
European winemakers grapple with environmental questions
Proud of their wines, Europeans are also concerned about the industry's widespread use of pesticides, while winemakers themselves will have to adapt to rising temperatures. From Bordeaux to Riesling and Champagne, EURACTIV takes a look at changing wine-making practices.
The environment in the new CAP
Greens have strongly criticised the European Commission for what they say is a lack of concern for the environment in its proposals for the post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy.
The future of EU agriculture innovation
The next European Parliament and Commission will have to deal with a number of important issues related to the future of the European agricultural sector.
Europe’s transport decarbonisation
The Green Energy Platform, led by the think tank Farm Europe, organised a workshop in Brussels on Wednesday (12 June) to present the results of the ‘2030 Transport Decarbonisation Options’ study, conducted by the consultancy firm Navigant.
The future EU livestock sector
In this series of articles, EURACTIV will focus on the future of the EU livestock sector and food system in light of the rising global population and increasing demands to reduce the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The EU future of new plant breeding techniques
New plant breeding techniques (NPBTs) emerged as an innovative agricultural solution in the last decade, allowing the development of new plant varieties by modifying the DNA of the seeds and plant cells.
The bioeconomy in the post-2020 CAP
Over 18 million people across the EU were employed in the bioeconomy in 2015 – mainly in the agriculture, food and beverage sectors, according to the European Commission's Joint Research Centre.
Innovation in post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy
The digitisation of the EU farming sector, necessary to enable it to compete with the rising global competition, has taken centre stage in the discussions over the post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The European Commission has made it clear that...
Tobacco control: What’s next?
Tobacco consumption is the most significant cause of premature death in the EU, according to the European Commission. It is responsible for nearly 700,000 deaths every year.
Is there room for women farmers in the CAP?
Lawmakers in the European Parliament believe that women have a key role to play in helping to revive rural areas. However, discrimination against women in the farming sector is still widespread.
Developing Single Market resilience
Policymakers and relevant stakeholders want a further deepening of the Single Market, but they also value keeping 'the EU's main asset' safe from internal and external shocks. Celebrating its 25th anniversary last year, EU lawmakers called for a move away from simple rhetoric towards real delivery and completion of the market.
Young people and women in EU farming
The EU farming sector is faced with an ageing population. In 2016 only 11% of farm managers in the EU were young farmers under the age of 40 years, according to Eurostat.
Can space technologies improve drinking water quality?
The use of space technologies in different sectors of the EU economy has seen an increase lately. Advocates suggest that satellite data could help improve or even optimise production, from agricultural practices to drinking water processing.
Short food supply chains in Europe’s south
The concept of short food supply chains (SFSC), where intermediaries between farmers and consumers are removed, was introduced in the 2014-2020 CAP and has risen in recent years. According to a study carried out by the European Parliamentary Research Service...
COP24: Options to decarbonise transport
Transport is the only sector of the economy whose GHG emissions are increasing globally, scientists have warned.