On Wednesday, September 4th, the European Commission together with the Strategic Dialogue on the future of EU agriculture, presented its latest report, which will shape the future of agribusiness in Europe.
The central message of a joint report presented to the European Commission by President Ursula von der Leyen stresses the need to change the current system for European farmers, which heavily relies on extensive public funding and net-zero reforms. The report advocates for a more subsidized and less competitive industry to help prevent climate and economic collapse.
The report, produced after seven months of intensive negotiations among 29 organizations, including farmers’ associations, trade unions, and NGOs, was initiated in response to farmers’ dissatisfaction with low-income and increasing environmental regulations ahead of the EU election.
The Strategic Dialogue provided a detailed analysis of key policies, including the over €300 billion EU farm subsidy budget and the EU’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030. The report recommends shifting support from the largest farms to those with lower incomes, addressing long-standing criticism of the current area-based scheme and acknowledging the contributions of small and medium-sized farmers.
The report also emphasizes the need to reduce consumption of animal-based proteins in favor of plant-based alternatives. It calls for a review of EU food labeling legislation to address food marketing practices targeting children and recommends implementing tax reductions and other incentives to encourage sustainable choices.
Regarding emissions, the report highlights the substantial contribution of EU agriculture to the region’s total greenhouse gas emissions and underscores the need for tailored solutions and specific emissions reduction goals for different agricultural sectors, especially in areas with high concentrations of livestock.
Lastly, the report supports controversial EU environmental legislation, such as the Nature Restoration Law, and proposes several measures to support the green transition. These include rehabilitating degraded ecosystems, updating the EU’s outdated animal welfare regulations, and establishing an EU-wide benchmark to assess farm sustainability, among other initiatives.
While none of the report’s recommendations have been finalized, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has committed to integrating the results of the stakeholder dialogue into her Vision for Agriculture and Food within her first 100 days in office. The outcome will also depend on the appointment of the next Commissioner for Agriculture.
Since 2008, agribusiness has been a priority for every Commission mandate. Will this reform finally succeed in helping European agriculture compete globally without compromising quality? We will find out in the next hundred days—or so von der Leyen has promised.
Join the discussion about the future of press freedom in Europe: on Tuesday, September 10, in Brussels
B&K’s Government Affairs Director Luca Bertoletti will speak at the inaugural event of Free Press Forum to discuss the impact of the Digital Services Act on the freedom of speech in Europe. If you are in town, join the discussion on September 10th in Brussels at Stanhope Hotel at 14:00.
Titled “FreePressForumEU: Discussions about the freedom of expression in the EU,” the event will focus on the key policies for press and media freedom—the European Media Freedom Act and the Digital Services Act—and how both can safeguard and limit our right to freedom of expression.
Registration is open by this link.
