News

At the end of January 2026, the European Commission initiated infringement proceedings against several Member States over violations of EU laws on water management, nature protection, access to justice, reporting, and food labelling. Denmark, Italy, and Luxembourg were formally warned over long-term water abstraction permits; Spain and Romania for missing required nature reports; and Poland for non-compliance with a court ruling on NGO rights in Natura 2000 forests. Belgium received a reasoned opinion for failing to implement marine and habitat restoration. The Commission also urged 12 countries, including the Czech Republic, to transpose directives on simplified reporting and separately called on 11 countries to enforce new food labelling rules ("Breakfast Directives") for honey, juices, jams, and powdered milk. Member States have two months to comply.
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On 1 February 2026, EU member states agreed to enhance the decision-making powers of agriculture ministers in shaping the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). This move comes in response to the European Commission's July proposal to merge agricultural, regional, and migration spending into a single planning framework. The Council decided to shift several key provisions from general national plans to CAP-specific legislation, granting ministers autonomy over issues such as environmental incentives, school programmes, aid supervision, policy monitoring, cooperation schemes, state aid, and regional fund calculations. However, requests from France, Italy, and Spain for ministries to decide on all financial aspects were not accepted. As a result, definitions of "farmer" beneficiaries and funding priorities remain open and will be resolved within broader budget negotiations. The European Parliament is preparing its own position, with a unified approach expected in the coming months.

At the extraordinary AGRIFISH Council held on 7 January 2026, EU agriculture ministers confirmed that the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and food security are top national and EU priorities. The meeting centered on a Commission proposal involving €293.7 billion for National and Regional Partnership Plans and a new €6.3 billion Single Security Reserve. Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen stated that these upfront reserves would raise total funding near €400 billion, and called for deeper dialogue on environmental framework simplification. However, twelve Member States, including Italy, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and others, criticized the lack of new funding and called for a clear stand-alone CAP with guaranteed budget lines. They noted that reliance on reallocating resources creates planning uncertainty for farmers. Germany and other countries demanded systematic removal of redundant obligations, while some stressed the need for greater environmental simplification.

Negotiations on the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028-2034 have ignited a dispute over future governance of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The new budget proposal ties agricultural funding to single National and Regional Partnership Plans, transferring key decision-making from the Agriculture and Fisheries Council to senior diplomats and European Affairs Ministers. Stakeholders warn this could reduce agricultural ministers’ influence on vital topics like organic farming and assistance for young farmers. The Cypriot Presidency is examining ways to restore sectoral decision-making, with discussions on competencies possible as early as January 2026. The issue follows criticism from several Member States, including Slovakia, over the lack of clarity on roles. A final decision on who will negotiate agricultural provisions is expected from member states soon.
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On 17 January 2026, the European Commission signed the Partnership and Interim Trade Agreements with Mercosur in Paraguay, marking a significant step towards new trade relations. While ratification of the main Partnership Agreement requires approval by all Member States, the Interim Trade Agreement is under exclusive EU competence. However, the process faces immediate obstacles: the European Parliament will soon vote on whether to refer the deal to the Court of Justice of the EU to check its compliance with EU law, particularly the 'balancing mechanism' affecting environmental regulations. Farmers across several EU countries have mobilized in protest, citing concerns over food safety standards and insufficient trade safeguards. Critics warn of potential provisional application of the agreement before Parliamentary consent. The Mercosur side clarified that EU internal safeguards are not included in the signed pacts.
More information here and here.