Structural changes call for structural responses. It is very likely that new processing capacities will be needed in the EU to valorise an additional 10 to 14 million tonnes of grains from Ukraine. This new reality calls for a new dynamic to be given to the Green Deal.
In response to criticisms related to the complexity of the CAP, the European Commission has proposed the implementation of national strategic plans. This is a key feature of the new CAP, with serious impacts on the level playing field at EU level for farmers. The implementation of GAEC5 is shedding lights on this new reality.
The month of April was marked by concerns in the southern EU countries about the 2023 harvest due to persistent water deficits and the finalisation of negotiations in the European Parliament on the recast of the Geographical Indications Regulation. Moreover, the International Wine Organisation has published data on world wine production, consumption and exports for […]
The EC’s February positioning over the regulation on NGTs triggered contrasting reactions across European Countries and different sectors. Scientists believe they will help facing the environmental and food security challenges. Some ministers are worried on their impact on small farmers and firms. On the other hand, the UK adopted the Precision Breeding Bill, which will […]
The draft Protocol proposed by the European Commission doesn’t provide answer to the actual environment and climate concerns on the Mercosur deal, and much less in attempting to establish a level playing field for EU farmers. Vague political declarations seem to be what’s on the table. Will they suffice to convince the European Parliament and the Council?
The first couple of months of 2023 had to face the consequences of the on-going invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the energy crisis and the inflation rate which heavily affected prices further leveraging the consumers’ purchasing power. In this context, the issues of pesticides, European sovereignty over fertilisers and the European Union’s protein strategy are […]
The EC’s February positioning over the regulation on NGTs triggered contrasting reactions across European Countries and different sectors. Scientists believe they will help facing the environmental and food security challenges. Some ministers are worried on their impact on small farmers and firms. On the other hand, the UK adopted the Precision Breeding Bill, which will allow the […]
A final agreement was reached on March 30th between the European Parliament and Council on the Renewable Energy Directive’s revision. This agreement confirms the strategic importance of agricultural biomass in delivering the EU’s climate ambition alongside other renewables. It represents stability for crop-based biofuels, which are currently the main contributors to transport decarbonisation, together with […]
The Russian unlawful attack on Ukraine in February 2022 and the following blockade of Ukrainian ports have severely affected global grain supply chains. With Ukraine being a major world exporter of corn, wheat, sunflower and barley, it was imperative for the international community to find solutions to get Ukrainian production out of the country in order to ensure global food security.
While the EU is waiting for the European Commission to publish its proposal on the legal framework for new genomic techniques (NGTs) next June 7, in the UK last March 23 the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act was passed after a process of about a year. Precision breeding involves using technologies such as gene editing to adapt the […]