Hit hard by the Russian food embargo, farmers from the Baltic countries and Finland have urged EU politicians to be more effective in finding new markets, as well as continue dialogue with Moscow to overcome the food ban deadlock.
The Russian government decided on Wednesday (29 June) to prolong a ban on EU food imports from August, until the end of 2017, in retaliation for EU sanctions over Ukraine.
France’s Prime Minister Manuel Valls challenged Europe over the agricultural crisis on Monday (8 February), as farmers stepped up their protests against low meat prices. EURACTIV France reports.
Collapsed milk prices, the China crisis and the Russian ban on imports all mean that Europe needs new markets, said European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan. He wants to form a group of experts that can plot a course out of the mire. He spoke with EURACTIV's partner Tagesspiegel.
The German Farmers' Association (DBV) has complained of the "drastic worsening" of conventional farming, attributing blame to non-German and non-EU causes. But Green and environmental organisations criticised the call for help as "hypocritical". EURACTIV Germany reports.
A proposed boost to German dairy-exports has been criticised for the potential economic damage it could do to developing countries, EURACTIV Germany reports.
The European Commission has unlocked €500 million in aid to farmers hit by falling prices and a ban on exports to Russia, as angry protestors took the streets of Brussels.
Angry French farmers blocked the streets of Paris with more than 1,500 tractors on Thursday (3 September) to protest against plunging food prices and soaring costs they say are killing their livelihoods.
Ahead of the meeting between EU agricultural ministers next week, disputes over the regulation of milk prices have once again come to the fore. EURACTIV Germany reports.
French farming unions want a higher price for pork and milk, but the European Commission is instead exploring new markets to compensate for declining consumption in the EU. EURACTIV France reports.
The European Commission extended its financial support to Europe's agriculture sector today (7 August), renewing benefits to farmers hit by Russia's ban on food from the EU. The new aid package will last until June 2016 and targets European fruit and vegetable producers.
Russian officials on Thursday (7 August) steamrolled tonnes of cheese, fruit and vegetables, defying public outrage to begin a controversial drive to destroy Western food smuggled into the crisis-hit country.
The European Commission has announced it will extend support measures for the dairy and fruit and vegetable sectors hit by Russia’s ban on food imports from Europe, which has been in place for a year.
Russia plans to extend a ban on Western food imports for six months starting in early August, and may add new products to the list, in retaliation for extended European sanctions against Moscow, officials said on Monday (22 June).
Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan pledged on Sunday to take steps to support pork prices in an effort to help the industry, as it reels from a Russian import ban.
At a technology fair in Moscow last month, European executives faced the new reality of doing business in Russia since the West imposed sanctions: the number of companies at the international showcase had shrunk by half from a year ago.
Agriculture ministers from 21 EU member states called for extra funds to deal with the Russian embargo during the Agriculture Council on Monday (11 November). Farmers have criticised the use of the emergency funds from the CAP. EURACTIV France reports.
?European food manufacturers affected by the Russian ban on EU food imports will need to find new export markets. The European Commission could help, by accelerating the conclusion of on-going trade negotiations with like-minded trade partners, says Roxane Feller.
The European Commission has pledged an additional €165 million in aid for farmers affected by Russian sanctions, after being subjected to withering criticism from food producers across the bloc over its first aid plan.