About: Janusz Wojciechowski
EU countries urge Commission to aid crisis-stricken pig meat sector
Twenty EU countries have called on the European Commission to step up action on the crisis-ridden pig meat sector, struggling with disease and the COVID-19 pandemic, with farmers' associations calling it an "existential threat to all farms".
EU member states struggling with tight deadline for ‘CAP strategic plans’
A third of EU member states have expressed concerns over meeting an end-of-year deadline for submitting their national strategic plans under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), including the agriculture Commissioner's home country Poland, according to sources.
Commission sat on Farm to Fork report for months, published quietly in August
The European Commission chose to delay for half a year the publication of its controversial report on the potential effects of the EU’s flagship food policy, the Farm to Fork strategy, opting instead for a quiet mid-summer publication, according to documents seen by EURACTIV.
EU institutions join forces to launch first annual organic day
The European Parliament, the Council and the Commission came together on Thursday (23 September) to celebrate the launch of an annual ‘EU organic day', designed to promote organic agriculture in efforts to bolster its production and consumption in the EU.
Commission ‘not afraid’ of global coalition against EU’s food policy
EU agriculture commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski has stood by the environmental ambition in the Commission's pivotal food policy, the Farm to Fork strategy (F2F), which has been targeted by the creation of a new global coalition focused on productivity.
EU Agri Commissioner dangles promise of ‘comprehensive’ Farm to Fork impact assessment
The EU’s Agriculture Commissioner, Janusz Wojciechowski, has teased stakeholders with the promise of a 'comprehensive impact assessment' of the Commission's pivotal food policy, the Farm to Fork strategy (F2F), but remained vague as to what this means in practice.
MEPs blast Commission’s flagship forest strategy as vague, overstepping EU remit
European lawmakers from across the political spectrum have united in criticism against the European Commission’s new flagship Forest Strategy, describing it as vague and superficial while flagging concerns that it goes beyond the remit of EU competences.
EU farmers warn harvest will fail after floods, plea for aid
The flooding across several EU countries this week has “effectively eliminated” any hope of a successful harvest in these areas, EU farmers’ association COPA-COGECA has warned as the European Commission pledged to support the sector.
EU agri ministers back serving up more organic food in schools, hospitals
EU agriculture ministers gave their green light for the EU organic action plan on Monday (19 July) but warned that measures must be taken to ensure that supply matches demand, including via public procurement schemes for schools and public canteens.
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.
Food labelling proposal will be data-led, Commission says
Information on the sustainability of food products in the EU's forthcoming harmonised front-of-pack labelling will heavily rely on data collected by producers, an EU official has said. Other stakeholders were quick to point out, however, that sustainability is only one factor in the complex labelling process.
‘Bubbles’ of contention: Dalmatian prošek irks Italy as it evokes prosecco wine
Italy has promised to give battle after Croatia's request to get EU protection for its sweet dessert wine, prošek, produced in the southern area of Dalmatia whose name resembles the iconic Italian bubbly wine prosecco.
Agri Commissioner backs call for polluter pays principle in farming
The farming sector should be made financially responsible for pollution, especially water pollution, according to a new report by the European court of auditors, an idea welcomed by the EU's Agriculture Commissioner.
Commissioner: Rejecting CAP plans on basis of Green Deal alignment ‘unimaginable’
The EU's Agriculture Commissioner has said he does not foresee a situation where a member state's Common Agricultural Policy national plan would be rejected for failing to align with the Green Deal, banking instead on the power of persuasion.
EU to fight ‘geography of discontent’ with new vision for rural areas
The European Commission unveiled on Wednesday (30 June) its long-term vision for the EU's rural areas, proposing a rural pact and a rural action plan aimed at making those regions stronger, connected, and prosperous.
Commission backs ban on cages in farming in ‘historic’ move for animal welfare
The European Commission has committed to working towards a ban on cages for farmed animals in what is being hailed as an historic move for animal welfare after a citizens initiative amassed more than one million signatures from across Europe.
Decision to invite EU farmers association to informal CAP talks divides opinion
The decision by the Portuguese rotating presidency to invite exclusively EU farmers association COPA-COGECA to this week’s informal gathering of EU agriculture ministers has divided agricultural stakeholders, some of whom complained that "this toxic tradition" should end.
Agrifood Brief: Out of touch, out of time
Welcome to EURACTIV’s AgriFood Brief, your weekly update on all things Agriculture & Food in the EU. You can subscribe here if you haven’t done so yet. Apologies for a delay in our usual Friday newsletter – we took the decision to...
CAP talks crash on the ‘floor’ amid interinstitutional blame game
After four days of tense talks, a disagreement between EU lawmakers on a technical detail concerning the greening of direct payments to farmers paved the way for a breakdown in the interinstitutional negotiations on the reform of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
Well-designed CAP can deliver on biodiversity goals, German scientists say
The devil is in the details when it comes to the EU’s farming subsidy programme's potential to halt biodiversity loss, according to German researchers, who warn, however, that green ambitions may fail to pack a punch.
Agrifood Brief: Trade t(r)ussle
Welcome to EURACTIV’s AgriFood Brief, your weekly update on all things Agriculture & Food in the EU. You can subscribe here if you haven’t done so yet. COMING SOON: Be sure to look out for EURACTIV’s live blog next week bringing you...
‘Contemptuous approach’: Czech farmers group quits EU association
The Czech farmers group APF CR has left the EU agricultural organisation COPA, accusing it of showing a “contemptuous approach" and lacking support for small farmers, an accusation refuted by other Czech farmers' groups.
EU farmers at odds with agriculture Commissioner after controversial tweets
EU farmers have told EURACTIV they have been left feeling unrepresented by the EU Agricultural Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski after he posted a series of controversial tweets criticising industrial farming.