Latest from Brussels

What will the EU’s new ‘boots on the ground’ Agriculture Commissioner bring to the table?

The EU officially has a new agrifood chief after Christophe Hansen sailed through his hearing on Monday (4 November), winning the final seal of approval from the European Parliament. But what exactly does the self-styled “boots on the ground” Commissioner intend to bring to the table? Natasha Foote breaks down the key things to know from Commissioner Hansen’s hearing. […]

Latest from Brussels

Do the 28 CAP Strategic Plans Progress Fairness for Farmers?

New CAP Strategic Plans have been prepared and implemented since 2023 in all EU member states. Are they helping progress values of fairness, as enshrined in both CAP and other EU legislation?  Here we summarise recent work by Henrik Maaß of German small farmer organisation ABL on this matter. While some progress and social innovation has been found, there is more stasis than change on display. […]

Latest from key partners

No More Business As Usual For Future Rural Development Policy

Negotiations on future policy options at the EU level are ongoing, setting the basic framework for future rural development policy. In this op-ed, Edina Ocsko of Smart Village Network Services / E40, who is Vice-Chair of the Rural Pact Coordination Group (RPCG), argues that the EU must take a more proactive approach in delivering stronger supports for rural areas. […]

Latest from Brussels

Commissioner-Hopefuls Hint at Road Ahead

Last week the new crop of wannabe Commissioners faced the first round of questioning from the European Parliament. Meanwhile, the Agriculture and Fisheries Council signs off (sort of) on a “farmer-focused” CAP post-2027. Plus we bring you the latest on the case building against “poison PR”. Natasha Foote reports. […]

Latest from Brussels

The EU is Mulling a Seismic Budgetary Shift – What Would This Mean for Agri and Rural Areas? 

The European Commission has been quietly weighing up options to radically overhaul its budget. This could see all of its 500+ biggest money pots merged into one mega money pot, divided out based on plans put together by EU countries. If approved, the move could prove seismic for European regions, farmers and rural areas – here ARC2020 maps out why.  […]

Latest from key partners

Michael Dower Award for Rural Resilience – Nominate A Rural Action-Taker Today!

Michael Dower (1937-2022) has inspired rural Europe for decades. Co-founder of the European AgriCultural Convention (EAC), which later became ARC2020, he was a phenomenal agent of change.  Launching today, the Michael Dower Award for Rural Resilience will showcase the efforts of local communities and individuals who are taking action to make rural Europe a better place to live. […]

Latest from key partners

Op-ed – The Brave New World of Bayer & Co

In this op-ed, Hans Van Sharen of Corporate Europe Observatory argues that Bayer, a German agrochemical giant, exerts vast political and economic influence globally, often harming public health, biodiversity, and democracy in the process. The company aggressively lobbies to shape laws in its favor, fighting legal battles over the harmful effects of its products, like glyphosate. A new report by Corporate Europe Observatory reveals Bayer’s long history of lobbying to maintain control of the seed and pesticide markets, despite evidence of environmental and health risks. With soaring lobbying expenditures, especially in the EU and US, Bayer even seeks to alter liability laws to protect itself from lawsuits. Critics argue that Bayer’s toxic business model must be curtailed to protect both the environment and democracy. […]

Latest from the ARC network

Op-Ed: Time for a Rethink to Reverse the Rapid Decline of Farming in Europe

A new study from the Greenpeace European Unit – Go Big or go Bust shows just how rapidly farming in Europe is going in a particular trajectory. Simply put, small farm are disappearing, and large farms are both getting bigger and are getting more economically dominant. These socio-economic realities contribute to social unrest and farmer’ protests. So far, the European Institutions have reacted in a knee jerk manner to protests, and have not addressed these underlining causes. Instead, Marco Contiero (EU Policy Director on Agriculture at the Greenpeace European Unit) argues in this op-ed that a better resourced system must put in place to encourage a transition towards a truly sustainable farming system. […]

Latest from key partners

From Farmers for Farmers – and for Healthy Societies on a Planet Conducive to Life

The European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture (EARA) is an independent, farmer-led coordination and political advocacy organization of the movement of regenerative agriculture at the European level. EARA is striving to enable the transformation of our agrifood ecosystems through accountable ecologic, economic and social regeneration. In this op-ed, EARA outlines a critique of the flawed ways it sees farming being supported currently, while offering another approach – one grounded in the biological processes of photosynthesis performance and soil cover: KPIs for a regenerative future. […]

Latest from Brussels

October is Here – That Means European Days of Action!

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! […]

Latest from key partners

Food from Somewhere – IPES Food report on key role local food resilience plays

“Food from Somewhere” is a recent report from IPES-Food on territorial markets – localised food systems and chains. So what’s in it? This report finds a disaster prone, not fit-for-purpose food system being propped up by government policies and other supports. Meanwhile, localised food systems do the work of feeding people day in day out without anything like as much support. But there are options for better supporting food on the ground.  […]

Latest from EU Member States

Luxembourg | A Good Gardener is a Teacher and Politician

A master gardener and co-founder of the SEED association for the preservation and use of the region’s traditional seed varieties, Frank Adams has long been involved in the legislative battle waged by seed savers to gain recognition for the necessity and specific nature of their work. Hannes Lorenzen spoke to Frank during a horticultural walk in the gardens of the Château d’Ansembourg, Luxembourg. […]

Latest from Brussels

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

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.  […]