News

Seven EU Member States (CZ, SK, HU, PL, BG, HR, RO) have prepared a joint declaration by agriculture ministers on the opportunities and challenges of agricultural holdings in light of the Farm to Fork strategy. The declaration was adopted on 21/04/2021, with the Member States stating that the strategy sets very ambitious goals and challenges for Member States, and that these goals are expected to be met in a very short time. According to the declaration, the responsibility for meeting the targets should be evenly distributed among all actors in the supply chain, and this responsibility should not represent an additional burden for producers, especially small and medium-sized ones. The Farm to Fork strategy was presented without any environmental, social, and economic impact assessment, and Member States therefore call on the Commission to carry out an appropriate impact assessment before the implementation phase of the related measures and initiatives begins. The impact assessment should be comprehensive, cover the entire agri-food chain, and address food security, sustainable development of the sector, and competitiveness. In addition, the position of farmers in the supply chain needs to be strengthened. The shorter the supply chains, the better the chances farmers will have of securing adequate incomes. The declaration will be discussed at the forthcoming Council of Ministers (26-27/05/2021), during which it could be supported by other EU Member States.
More information is available here.

In a written declaration of 20/05/2021, a group of 29 European agri-food non–governmental organizations, including Copa and Cogeca, called on the European Commission to properly assess the impact of the Farm to Fork strategy and to have a new debate based on concrete data and scientific evidence. One year after the presentation of the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategies, the Strategies still raise too many questions. The Group of Agricultural Organizations recognizes the need to integrate new measures into the food system to strengthen the sustainability of the sector while maintaining the highest standards of food quality and affordability. At the same time, however, it fears a negative impact on production capacity, competitiveness, imports and on consumer prices as well.
More information is available here.

On 12/05/2021, the European Commission published an assessment of the impact of the CAP on viable food production. According to the results of the evaluation, the CAP direct payments significantly support the stabilization of farmers' incomes, and support for areas with natural handicaps also plays an important role. However, despite all the financial support, there remains a significant gap between farmers' incomes and income of workers from other sectors. On the contrary, the role and settings of VCS payments, organic payments, and rules for the definition of an active farmer should be improved.
More information is available here.

On 12/05/2021, the Commission launched feedback on the annual report on controls and labelling of organic products. The aim of the initiative is to make a change in the part of the Member States' annual report on the production and labelling of organic products. The consultation is open until 09/06/2021, available here.

On 12/05/2021, the Commission launched feedback on the certificate for operators located outside the EU and on the list of control bodies and operators in the field of organic food. The initiative under the new Organic Production Regulation sets out: a model certificate for non-EU entities and an electronic certification system; and a list of control authorities and bodies. The consultation is open until 09/06/2021, available here.

On 12/05/2021, the European Commission presented a new Action Plan for Zero Air, Water and Soil Pollution. The action plan will be the main theme of the forthcoming EU Green Week (01-04 / 06/2021, Brussels). The action plan sets out the path to zero water, soil, and air pollution by 2050, by which time pollution should be reduced to a level that is no longer harmful to human health or natural ecosystems. According to the European Commission, the plan links all relevant EU policies to combat and prevent pollution, with particular emphasis on the use of digital solutions. Relevant EU legislation will also be reviewed to identify remaining gaps and identify where it is necessary to improve their implementation to meet these legal obligations.
More information is available here and here.