News

On 21 April 2026, the EU Council formally approved the political agreement for new legal rules governing new genomic techniques (NGTs), following the compromise reached with the European Parliament in December 2025. The framework introduces a two-tier system: NGT-1 plants, considered equivalent to conventional varieties, will only require national checks and will not need consumer labelling except for seeds, while NGT-2 plants remain under strict GMO regulations. The new rules include patent provisions such as an EU database and an expert group, with the European Commission tasked to report on patent impacts within one year. Despite Council approval, some Members of the European Parliament seek tighter patent controls. Agricultural groups urge swift adoption, warning against reopening the compromise. The final parliamentary vote is expected in the coming weeks, and, if passed, the regulation will come into force 20 days after publication, with most provisions effective from mid-2028.
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On 24 April 2026, EU leaders met in Cyprus for the first substantial discussion on the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), estimated at €1.8 trillion. Amid ongoing geopolitical and energy crises, leaders debated aligning the EU's ambitions with available funding. Member states remain deeply divided, particularly on the size of the budget and the introduction of new own resources, such as EU taxes, to finance it and repay joint debt. Countries focused on austerity, like Germany and the Netherlands, opposed budget increases. The summit endorsed the European Commission's 16 July 2025 proposal as the main baseline for further negotiations, while also noting the significance of European Parliament input. Talks will continue at the European Council in June 2026, guided by a new negotiating framework from the Cypriot Presidency that includes specific figures.
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Economists at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) caution that ongoing transport disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, driven by conflicts in the Middle East, could cause food price spikes and shortages worldwide. The crisis relates to restricted movement of oil, gas, and fertilisers, crucial inputs for agriculture. Delays in delivery may significantly lower global crop yields and escalate prices, with supply shortages expected from late 2026 into 2027. FAO experts note that effects could surpass those experienced after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, particularly harming developing countries. Governments are urged to prepare targeted support to cushion market shocks and ensure food system resilience.
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On 15 April 2026, the European Parliament’s Committee on Budgets established its official approach to the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework, advocating for a robust CAP budget that exceeds the Commission’s proposal by over €139 billion. The position prioritises €320.2 billion for direct payments, €106.4 billion for rural development, and a crisis reserve, while rejecting the idea of integrating CAP funding into single National Plans to counter risks of renationalisation and market distortion. The text maintains a distinct, two-pillar CAP structure, tying funding to food security, competitiveness, and fair living standards. The stance will serve as the Parliament’s negotiating mandate, with Member States set to discuss these budgetary priorities at upcoming Council meetings.
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On 12 April 2026, European Parliament negotiators announced progress toward the institution’s position on the 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). Parliament intends to propose a roughly 10% increase in programme spending, removing Recovery Facility repayments from the main budget and insisting on separate funding for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Cohesion Policy—an approach that contrasts with the European Commission’s draft. Proposed agricultural funding amounts to approximately EUR 430 billion in current prices, focused primarily on direct payments. Parliament negotiators also advocate introducing a digital tax as a new EU revenue source and restoring support for outermost regional programmes. Following debate on hundreds of amendments, the text will go to the Budget Committee then the plenary vote, forming the official basis for negotiations with the Commission and Council.
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