Latest from Brussels Archives - Agricultural and Rural Convention

October is Here – That Means European Days of Action!

October 2, 2024 ARC

Every October, farmers, consumers, activists and citizens come together to celebrate food and farming – and demand political change! For the seventh year in a row, the European Days of Action are happening. Mia Mancini and Pauline Naterstad from Good Food Good Farming tell us about the actions and some of the upcoming activities – and how to register yours! […]

CAP not Matching Europe’s Green Ambitions, say Auditors (again)

September 30, 2024 ARC

CAP 2023-2027 is greener than the previous CAP – but plans “do not match the EU’s ambitions for the climate and the environment”. That’s according to the ECA – the European Court of Auditors – which released it’s special report Monday 30th September. So what’s in it? Oliver Moore delves in for an initial read. […]

Brussels News Roundup – Ombudsman Launches Inquiry into CAP Fast-Track

September 20, 2024 Natasha Foote

While all eyes this week have been on the nomination of the new crop of Commissioners, there have been plenty of other developments worth watching in Brussels this week. From the EU’s watchdog questioning the Commission over the hasty dismantling of the EU’s green farming measures, to NGOs being ignored for a key direction-setting report on the future of EU policy, ARC2020 brings you up to speed with all you need to know. […]

An Agrifood Stakeholder’s Guide to the EU’s New Power Structure

September 18, 2024 Natasha Foote

There’s a lot of new faces in new places this week in Brussels as Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has finally revealed her picks and priorities for her new team of Commissioners over this next 5 year political cycle. So who will be the ones shaping the future of the agrifood sector in the years to come? Natasha Foote outlines all the main players likely to feature in the agrifood policy game to come over the next few years. […]

Strategic Dialogue on Agriculture – what’s in it, what’s next?

September 5, 2024 Natasha Foote

The EU strategic dialogue on agriculture has finally spoken – and plenty has emerged. After 7 months of talks, this group of agrifood stakeholders presented a hefty 100+ page document including recommendations for the future shape of the agrifood sector to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, on Wednesday (4 September). The group hopes to steer her upcoming Vision for Agriculture and Food, and policies over the course of the next 5-year political cycle more widely. So what are the key takeaways? And what’s next? ARC’s Natasha Foote highlights the key headlines and ideas. […]

Brussels – Who’s Got the Top Jobs and What Will They Do?

July 24, 2024 Natasha Foote

As the dust settles after the elections, what will the Commission focus on? Which politicians have secured the key roles? Who is at the helm in shaping agricultural and environmental policy over the next 5 years? News round up from Brussels by Natasha Foote. […]

News Roundup: Brussels plays musical chairs, responsibility reshuffle, and a big week ahead

July 12, 2024 Natasha Foote

With the dust yet to settle after the European Parliament elections, political groups are scrambling to secure top jobs in parliamentary committees. Meanwhile over at the Commission, rumours abound about the carving up of competences for food. And there’s more nail-biting voting to come… Natasha Foote brings us the inside scoop from the heart of the action. […]

Brussels News – GMO No-Gos and Political Roundabouts

June 27, 2024 Natasha Foote

This week saw an unsuccessful last-ditch attempt to push the EU’s proposal to loosen rules on gene editing over the finish line, leaving the plans on ice. Meanwhile, it’s all been Politics with a capital P as Belgium prepares to hand the presidency over to Hungary, while leaders jostle for Brussels’ top jobs and considerations start on redrawing the lines of the European Parliament’s committees – a shake up which could have big impacts on the way agriculture files are handled. Natasha Foote and Oliver Moore bring you the latest from Brussels. […]

Will the Nature Restoration Law Decision be Reversed? Not likely – here’s why

June 19, 2024 Natasha Foote

Last minute political manoeuvres, coalition collapse and legal challenges – the Nature Restoration Law’s dramatic final showdown proved every bit as tumultuous as the rest of its path to adoption. But could the final seal of approval of this law be reversed? The answer seems to be no – and here’s why. […]

The EU’s Nature Restoration Law has been Approved – but Don’t Put the Bubbly on Ice Just Yet

June 17, 2024 Natasha Foote

Ministers have given their final blessing to the EU’s Nature Restoration Law, marking the last milestone for the law to enter into force. But proponents shouldn’t put the champagne on ice just yet, as the law could face more legal twists in its tumultuous trajectory. Natasha Foote reports on the latest from Brussels. […]

Election Post-Mortem – where to now for Parliament & People?

June 13, 2024 Oliver Moore

In the aftermath of the European Parliamentary Elections 2024, Oliver Moore assesses what happened and what might happen next, with a farming, food and rural lens. […]

The German Farmers’ Association’s Double Game – Shrewd farmer lobbyists

June 10, 2024 ARC

The German Farmers’ Association (Deutscher Bauernverband) promises nature conservation, but acts against it. Jost Maurin (Die Tageszeitung, taz) makes the case that this trajectory could serve as a warning for the EU Strategic Dialogue, in which environmental and farmers’ associations are to develop a vision for the future of agriculture. […]

Vote For The Future: Good Food Good Farming Campaign Culminates in Brussels Demonstration

June 3, 2024 ARC

On June 1st, hundreds of citizens, NGOs, and grassroots movements gathered at Place de l’Albertine in Brussels, urging politicians to improve farmers’ conditions, halt environmental rollbacks, and strengthen climate policies. The demonstration was organized by Good Food Good Farming (GFGF) and Climate Action Network Europe (CAN Europe), uniting environmental and agrifood movements ahead of the EU elections. Report by Pauline Naterstad and Mia Mancini. […]

“CAP-as-you-wish Instead of Future-Proof Farming and Food Policy”

May 27, 2024 ARC

There have been massive protests by farmers in many European countries in recent months. Depending on the country, different agricultural policy issues have played a role. Hannes Lorenzen, President of ARC2020, on the state and prospects of EU agricultural policy. This interview originally appeared in the German magazine “Unabhängige Bauernstimme”. […]

Where now for the EU Green Deal? Barometer findings unpacked.

May 22, 2024 Natasha Foote

The good news is that experts think the Green Deal will live on (in some shape or form). The bad news is that they paint a pretty bleak picture when it comes to the legacy of the past 5-year term on the food and farming sector. And while things are fine at the top level, down in the details is where the trouble emerges. ARC2020 digs into the latest Green Deal barometer to see what Europe’s sustainability experts made of the past political cycle – and what they see is next for the EU’s green ambitions. […]