About: agri-food sector
Greening European agriculture: Can the new CAP be really green?
Environmental pressure and climate change are some of the main challenges facing agriculture today. The 2013 Common Agricultural Policy reform addressed these problems with “greening” measures, in an attempt to make the direct payments system more environment-friendly.
School canteens find it difficult to be supplied with local products
Local farmers are increasingly sought after by catering establishments, which want to improve their food supply and enhance local production. However, public procurement rules hinder their plans. EURACTIV.fr reports.
Commission throws the ball to EU capitals on future of short food chains
The development of short food supply chains (SFSC) is constantly gaining ground in the EU. Producing and consuming locally is seen as a way to achieve fairer remunerations for farmers and higher quality local food products.
Short food supply chains in Europe’s North
The development of short food supply chains – where intermediaries between farmers and consumers are removed – should result in fairer remunerations for farmers and higher quality local food products, supporters say.
G7 can tackle five priorities with one investment: agricultural research
This week the representatives of the world's most advanced economies grapple with complex challenges at the G7 summit. Smart investments need to be made to solve the five key issues addressed at the summit and the smartest investment is in agricultural research, writes Marcon Ferroni.
Financing EU agriculture after 2020: What future for the CAP?
The recent European Commission’s Communication on The Future of Food and Farming, published at the end of 2017, announced a shift away from a unified set of requirements decided in Brussels for the post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy.
Will Europe reform the value chain in the food industry?
Trade relations in the agricultural sector remain a source of tensions between large retailers and farmers, while a legislative proposal is expected at European level. EURACTIV.fr reports.
A small setback for intensive agriculture in Africa
Frequently criticised, the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition just lost France’s financial support. For now, the project aimed at helping Africa's agriculture is still supported by Germany and the EU. EURACTIV.fr reports
Italy spearheads initiative to limit rice imports to the EU
Italy and seven other EU countries asked the European Commission on 24 November to allow them to limit rice imports from Cambodia, on the grounds of “protecting the Italian and European Rice industry.”
What are you drinking?
A can of soup, a carton of juice, a bottle of wine.When shopping for any of the above, it stands to reason that you could turn to the calories or inspect the ingredients. As you’d imagine, food and drink producers are obliged to label their produces’ ingredients and calorie content. Wine, however, is exempt.
Food industry upset over obligatory labelling of origin of pasta and rice
Italy's decision to impose mandatory labelling on pasta and rice packaging has triggered protests from the food industry, which has called on the European Commission to cancel the measure.
‘Zero calories’: Industry moving to reduce sugar in EU beverages
The European soft drink industry has long been involved in a gradual process of removing added sugar from its products and introducing “zero calories” varieties on the market. EURACTIV Spain reports.
Commission calls meeting on egg crisis to end member states ‘blaming and shaming’
The European Commission will call an emergency meeting of ministers over insecticide-tainted eggs in a bid to end "blaming and shaming" over the scandal, health commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis said on Friday (11 August).
Contaminated eggs: Arrests made as scandal spreads East
Luxembourg became the latest European country hit by a scare over tainted eggs, with a major supermarket chain pulling them from the shelves and other firms affected, authorities said on Thursday (10 August).
Despite labour shortage, British farmers aim for post-Brexit food self-sufficiency
British fruit farmers have warned the future of their sector is at risk because they cannot find enough seasonal workers to pick their produce. However, Farmers still see Brexit as an opportunity to adopt policies that would make the country more food self-efficient.
Belgium lashes out at the Netherlands, says it knew about eggs scandal
Belgium accused the Netherlands on Wednesday (9 August) of failing to inform it that eggs were tainted with insecticide despite knowing about the problem since last November, as Europe's latest food safety scandal deepened.
Italy demands origin labels for pasta and rice
All packets of pasta and rice sold in Italy will have to include labels of origin showing where the produce was grown, the government ruled on Thursday (20 July), in a move it said was aimed at protecting local farmers.
Brexit risks disrupting EU agriculture market, experts warn
EU farm and food businesses may pay a big price for Brexit if new trade barriers pop up and dim the British appetite for products like Irish cheddar, French wine and Danish bacon, experts and advocates warn.
Mimica: Private sector has a key role in reaching the SDGs
The massive need for investment in projects of public interest in developing countries cannot be met by the public sector alone, this is why the involvement of the private sector in reaching the SDGs is key, the European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development told EURACTIV.com in an exclusive interview.
No quick and easy fix to food price issue, EU official admits
There will be no easy solution to high food prices in Europe unless the supply chain is made transparent and farmers get organised to take a bigger slice of the market, a European Commission official has warned.
Spanish farmers say new CAP should provide dignity
Agri-food producers recognise the need to become competitive and sustainable. But they also need to deal with market volatility, price imbalances in the value chain, uncertainty generated by free trade agreements and Russia's ban on EU imports. EURACTIV’s partner EFEAgro reports.
Slovak study fuels concerns about lower quality food in Eastern Europe
A new study carried out by the Slovak government has found significant quality differences in the same products sold in Slovakia and Austria.
Commission calms Trump by clearing major agro-chemical merger
The European Commission approved on Monday (27 March) the proposed $130 billion merger of Dow Chemical and DuPont. But the decision triggered a strong reaction from environmentalists, who believe that such mergers lead to “major monopolies”.