CAP Archives - Agricultural and Rural Convention

Navigating the Challenges of CAP Strategic Planning in the EU

November 24, 2024 ARC

CAP implementation faces challenges such as complex governance, insufficient capacity, and obstacles to evidence-based policymaking. Poor coordination between national and regional authorities often disconnects policies from local needs, while limited expertise hinders implementation. The Tools4CAP project report calls for clearer guidelines, inclusive decision-making, capacity building, and tools to enhance stakeholder engagement and policy outcomes. By improving data infrastructure and fostering collaboration, more sustainable CAP Strategic Plans can emerge. Tools4CAP provides methodologies and resources to address these issues and improve decision-making and monitoring. Op-ed by Simone Sterly and Carla Wember (Institute for Rural Development – IfLS). […]

Ukraine – The Elephant in the Room that Could Unlock CAP Reform

November 19, 2024 Hans Wetzels

Ukraine is on our screens every day. Still the countryside and its people mainly appear either as victims of war or as soldiers – not as citizens, workers or farmers. When it comes to its vast swaths of agricultural and rural areas, mostly the largest farming entities and their difficulties to export make it into the news. But there is a surprising rural reality in Ukraine that should play a key role when taking a closer look at what a possible EU accession after the war would mean for Ukrainians and citizens of the EU alike. […]

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

November 6, 2024 Natasha Foote

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. […]

Do the 28 CAP Strategic Plans Progress Fairness for Farmers?

November 2, 2024 Oliver Moore

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. […]

Commissioner-Hopefuls Hint at Road Ahead

October 29, 2024 Natasha Foote

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. […]

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

October 16, 2024 Natasha Foote

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. […]

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

September 30, 2024 Oliver Moore

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. […]

CAP Strategic Plans: A European Food and Agricultural Policy for Times of War

September 17, 2024 Frederic Courleux

The EU’s recent decision to tax Russian cereals over Ukrainian ones, and the maintenance of solidary lanes with Ukraine despite protests, highlights the relationship between policy and geopolitical tensions. So where next for the CAP? Frederic Courleux argues that CAP must evolve from its neoliberal framework to prioritize food security, economic stability, as well as agro-ecological sustainability. This transition includes securing trade through government-to-government agreements, fostering food stockpiling for inflation control, and integrating food aid into agricultural policies. […]

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. […]

Re-CAP: Breaking down the breakdown of the EU’s green farming measures

July 28, 2024 Natasha Foote

The last few months have been a rollercoaster ride for the EU’s farming subsidy programme, which has seen its green ambitions sacrificed on the altar of food security and politics. As this mandate comes to a close, ARC has put together a re-CAP for you with all the twists and turns in the Common Agricultural Policy over the past few years – and what’s next for the policy. […]

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. […]

Impact and Opportunities of the 2023-27 CAP Reform in Denmark

June 12, 2024 ARC

In the report that accompanies this article, CONCITO analyses the implementation of the 2023-27 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform after its first year of implementation, using Denmark as a case study. The focus lies on examining the new components of the reform, namely the New Delivery Model (NDM), the enhanced conditionality, and the eco-schemes, and their contribution towards both the European Union (EU) and national objectives concerning climate, biodiversity, and the environment. Recommendations are also made for improved delivery. […]

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. […]