CAP reform Archives

MEPs need to overhaul the European Commission's plans to reform the Common Agricultural Policy, to attract young farmers, give farmers a fair wage, and protect the environment, argues  Luke Flanagan.

The Portuguese candidates for the EU elections from centre-left and left parties PS, PSD, PCP and BE, have voiced concern about the planned budget cuts in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The conservative CDS party criticised the Lisbon government's "tragic inability" to draw on these funds. EURACTIV’s media partner Lusa reports.

The involvement of many European Commission’s Directorates-General (DGs) in the  post-2020 agricultural policy has raised concerns among stakeholders, who believe it is going to cause delays and throw too much environment into the agricultural mix.

An extension for vine planting authorisations, nutrition info on wine labels, and a provision banning the use of terms like burger for veggie and vegan products were among the main suggestions filed by the current AGRI committee directly to the next European Parliament.

With €365 billion between 2021-2027 the Common Agricultural Policy will continue to represent the second biggest budget of the EU. The CAP’s objectives remain largely unchanged since 1962 and need to be radically reviewed if we want them to reflect social demands and the finite environmental limits, write a group of Green MEPs.

With the new CAP, the EU Commission is set to foster innovation and digitalisation in agriculture. German companies are hoping for multi-billion euro deals, yet management and infrastructural issues stand in the way.

Protecting plants genetically rather than chemically will become increasingly important in future farming, but this also highlights the need to solve the legal pitfall created by a recent European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling on gene editing, MEP Paolo De Castro told EURACTIV.

The evidence is clear: to secure a thriving future for people and planet we need to collectively transform our eating patterns towards healthier, more plant-rich diets. The EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP) can facilitate this transition. But several misunderstandings hinder progress.  

Food producers are also entrepreneurs. Accessing financing, in particular in the start-up phase of projects is often a hurdle they have to overcome.

The 'new plant breeding techniques' need new EU legislation that takes into account the latest advanced technologies, EU Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis told EURACTIV.com, adding there was too much manipulation and "scare-mongering" around the issue.

A new report published by a network of  European grassroots civil society organisations calls for a Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) and wider policy framework that explicitly favours small-scale sustainable producers and re-localisation of food supply-chains, write Chris Chancellor and Geneviève Savigny. Chris …

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 providing …

The EU manufacturers of agricultural machinery (CEMA) have called on member states to indicate a “clear commitment” to the digitisation of European agriculture as the only way to face the environmental and economic challenges. This message has also been acknowledged by the European Commission.

The state of Europe’s water ecosystems puts a big question mark over the future availability of freshwater, for people and for all manner of industry, not least for food production and agriculture, writes Jabier Ruiz.

Although member states will play a greater role in the future EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), it will not lose its 'Common' dimension as the Commission will continue to watch over the implementation of national plans, Commissioner Phil Hogan told EURACTIV.com in an interview.

The Spanish agri-food sector is extremely concerned about the negative impact of a no-deal Brexit. In an effort to mitigate the financial impact, the sector is already taking measures to curb the “Brexit effect”. EURACTIV’s partner EFE AGRO reports.

EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funds have helped a family in southern Italy revive and even innovate their business. EURACTIV’s partner Sicilia Agricoltura reports.

In the event of a no-deal Brexit, the UK government should not rush to strike a trade deal with countries such as the United States, an official from the UK National Farmers Union told EURACTIV.com in London.

Small farms dominate the Polish agriculture. Their area gradually decreases, but data from the Central Statistical Office shows that the average Polish farmer has two to five hectares of land at his/her disposal. EURACTIV Poland reports.

Lawmakers in the European Parliament's environment committee have voted for a reduction in subsidies going to intensive farming under the common agricultural policy as of 2021. EURACTIV France reports.

Low profitability and poor infrastructure quality make farming in Greece unattractive to young people, who are needed more than ever before to take the agricultural sector a step forward, stakeholders have told EURACTIV Greece.

Excessive red tape, combined with lack of access to land and proper rural infrastructure, continues to be the main obstacle to attracting young men and women in Spain’s agriculture sector. EFE Agro reports.

The European Commission and the EU farmers association (Copa Cogeca) both dismissed a report conducted by Greenpeace as groundless and simplistic. The report argued that animal farming in Europe was using too much agricultural land.

Getting a loan is the biggest problem faced by young farmers in Romania, especially when they are unable to provide guarantees as back-up, EURACTIV Romania reports.