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EU Member States have approved the European Commission's proposal to use unused Rural Development Fund (EAFRD) funds from the 2014-2022 period to compensate farmers and small and medium-sized food businesses for losses and damage caused by extreme weather events at the Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA). The proposal should now be approved by the European Parliament during its plenary session, after which it can be formally adopted by the Council. The proposal is a response to recent climate-related disasters. Once the amended regulation is formally adopted and enters into force, member states will have greater flexibility to provide emergency support to farmers, forest owners and businesses affected by natural disasters that have occurred since 01/01/2024, according to a statement from the European institutions. The aid can be 100% financed from unused EU EAFRD funds 2014-2022 and will be provided in the form of lump sums of up to €42,000 per beneficiary. In addition, Member States will have the flexibility to introduce and reinforce measures to restore the production potential of affected farms and forests. The proposal also reduces the administrative burden on EAFRD beneficiaries and national administrations. Once the Regulation is adopted, the Member States concerned will have to decide how much funding to make available to deal with recent disasters. They will then have to submit amendments to the programme to the Commission for review and adoption.
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On 31/10/2024, the European Commission published a report on the EU's climate progress to 2024. According to the European Commission's report, the EU's greenhouse gas emissions will fall by a record 8.3% in 2023 compared to 2022, a 37% reduction compared to 1990. Emissions in the energy and industry sectors fell by 16.5% thanks to a boost in the use of renewables, and emissions trading generated €43.6 billion in climate action investments. At the same time, natural carbon absorption increased by 8.5%, reversing the previous downward trend in the land use and forestry sectors. The EU continues to work towards its target of a 55% reduction in emissions by 2030 and will push for the same commitment from its international partners at COP29 on 11-22/11/2024.
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The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published on 28/10/2024 an opinion on the safety of genetically modified soybean MON 87705 × MON 87708 × MON 89788 for food and feed uses. EFSA confirms that this soybean is as safe as its non-modified equivalent and does not pose a nutritional risk to humans or animals. EFSA recommends continued post-market monitoring in accordance with the applicable regulations.
More information is available here.

On 25/10/2024, the European Commission adopted new rules on the Farm Sustainability Data Network (FSDN), which the Commission said represents a significant step towards improving analysis to support a more sustainable agricultural sector and targeted data-driven policy-making. From 2025 onwards, Member States will collect new farm-level data to allow a more comprehensive understanding of sustainability in agriculture and its economic, environmental and social dimensions. The new FSDN builds on the long-standing FADN farm accounting data network, which received data from more than 80,000 farms in the EU each year. Now, additional environmental and social sustainability data will be added to the new FSDN. The FSDN should also make it easier to access and use information from different sources according to the "collect once, use many times" principle.
More information is available here.

From November 2024, the European Commission will launch registration for the due diligence declaration system in the context of deforestation and will organise a series of four virtual training sessions on how to use the system properly. The Register of Due Diligence Declarations in Deforestation is a dedicated online tool that should simplify the production of due diligence declarations in supply chains. The Register will allow operators, traders and their agents to produce electronic due diligence declarations and submit them to the competent authorities to demonstrate that their products do not cause deforestation. Registration for the system will start in November 2024, with the system opening to all users from December 2024. The European Commission will also organise additional virtual training sessions for the correct use of the system, to be held on 04/11/2024, 07/11/2024, 14/11/2024 and 18/11/2024 (the October dates were fully booked, so the Commission has decided to add dates during November).
More information is available here.