Food chain sustainability
Greek fires decimate honey sector, opening floodgates for cheap, fraudulent imports
The wildfires that swept across Greece this summer have decimated the country's beekeeping sector, leaving it vulnerable to a barrage of cheap and potentially fraudulent honey imports, EU farmers’ association COPA-COGECA has warned.
UK government banks on domestic workforce as struggling food sector calls for new visas
The UK food sector has called for a new COVID-19 recovery visa to address workforce shortages, but the government has been non-committal, stressing instead it aims not to rely on labour from abroad.
Experts: Deadly floods made worse by misguided farming practices
German environmental organisations are calling for flood protection measures to be improved and for a change to the way agricultural soils are used weeks after catastrophic flash floods deluged the country and left more than 200 dead across Western Europe. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Commission moves against EU countries over unfair trading practices
The European Commission has opened infringement procedures against 12 member states after they failed to transpose EU rules banning unfair trading practices in the agri-food sector within the allotted time frame.
Stakeholders split over EU food promotional funding for meat, exports
Stakeholders remain divided on promotional support for target markets and animal products, with NGOs calling for meat to be cut off cold turkey, while farmers argue no products should be off the table.
Slovenian agri minister: Climate change just as unpredictable as COVID pandemic
Although agri-food sector has recovered from the worst of the pandemic, it must keep one eye on the present and one on future crisis management, Slovenia's Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.
Black Sea facing ecological disaster due to overfishing
Fish stocks in the Black Sea are dwindling and commercial fishing is causing more and more environmental damage, causing concern that has grabbed the attention of NGOs and EU lawmakers. EURACTIV Bulgaria reports.
One year on, are MEPs ready to boost biodiversity and farm to fork strategies?
In the next few weeks, EU lawmakers have a chance to show their strong support for nature and sustainable agriculture, argue Sabien Leemans and Jabier Ruiz. But will they?
Expert: ‘Climate natives’ should be at the centre of EU’s Farm to Fork strategy
Europe's vision of the future of food systems needs to be improved with a focus on young generations, who will be putting into practice the Farm to Fork strategy (F2F), according to Riccardo Valentini, a prominent agricultural expert, who warned that "everything in this transition that is done without young people is a waste of money".
French Senate to finally start discussing animal welfare-friendly farming
The economic affairs committee in the French Senate is due to consider a report on the proposed law for ethical, socially just and animal welfare-friendly farming on Wednesday (12 May) following recent criticism over its alleged inaction on animal welfare. EURACTIV France reports.
EU gives green light to bloc’s first edible insect
Dried yellow mealworms are the first insect food to receive the go-ahead for marketing authorisation in the EU after a favourable opinion from member states.
Support for banning intensive farming grows despite cost of animal welfare
As a survey conducted by the L214 association published this week points to the suffering of animals in intensive farming, the 'End the Cage Age' initiative put forward by EU citizens is demanding to end the practice of caging animals. EURACTIV France reports.
EU farmers boss: Commission leaving agri sector to wait like ‘animals for slaughter’
By choosing to impose green objectives without undertaking a comprehensive impact assessment, the European Commission is leaving the EU farming sector vulnerable and waiting like “animals to be slaughtered”, according to the head of the EU farmers association.
African farmers say they must be trained for Farm to Fork
African farmers fear being left alone in making sense of and applying environmental standards required by the European Union’s new food policy, said the voice of Kenya’s horticulture producers, who warned that without help, the new rules could jeopardise trade with Europe.
Meat debate heats up in Italy after remarks by new ‘super minister’
Italy's livestock farmers are fuming after the newly appointed ‘super minister’ for the ecological transition said the amount of animal protein consumed should be decreased and replaced with plant-based alternatives.
Beyond Farm to Fork: the ‘agricultural’ side of EU’s biodiversity strategy
The European Union's bid to tackle biodiversity loss goes hand in hand with the new ambition of making the food system more sustainable, involving several farming aspects.
‘Price war’ between French farmers and big supermarkets continues
Although annual negotiations between French supermarkets and their suppliers officially ended on Monday (1 March), the "price war" that has once again fuelled tensions this year is far from over. EURACTIV France reports.
Almost half of French people have cut meat consumption in last three years
French people tend to eat less meat than before, according to the results of the Harris Interactive survey published on Thursday ( 25 February). This change in eating habits can only be welcomed, both from an environmental and health perspective. EURACTIV France reports.
Level of food security in the EU is not uniform, report shows
European countries performed differently in a study that measures the state of global food security, showing an internal discrepancy within the bloc that put Europe behind North America in the ranking of regions.
Fight over inclusion of labour rights in CAP heats up
The ongoing debate over the inclusion of provisions on workers' rights in the reform of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has kicked up a notch with the publication of a letter from more than 300 European organisations advocating for social conditionality.
France’s management of fish stock positive except in Mediterranean
Though the French institute for sea exploitation known as Ifremer appeared optimistic when presenting its 2020 report on the state of fish populations caught in France, they, however, called for continued efforts, particularly in the Mediterranean where the situation is more worrying. EURACTIV France reports.
Commission dampens bid to end EU meat promotion
The European Commission has softened its stance on phasing out the promotion of red and processed meat in Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, and the latest change has received a mixed reception from stakeholders.
Restaurants face ‘wave of bankruptcies’ after lockdowns
The food services sector has been hit hard by the Coronavirus pandemic, but governments are struggling to find ways to reopen safely.