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The EU is the world's largest milk producer. While milk is produced in all Member States, farm and herd sizes, yields and types of farming vary widely across Europe, from free-range farming in Alpine areas to large-scale specialised dairy farms. The EU's dairy farmers produced 160 million tonnes of milk in 2022, 94 % of which was delivered to dairies where raw milk is processed into fresh products such as cheese or butter. The EU dairy sector must comply with a large number of rules, covering hygiene ...

The EU's common agricultural policy (CAP) has, over several decades and through successive reforms, devoted increased attention to the environment. This has led to the current CAP having a 'green architecture', which includes both mandatory elements – to which farmers must adhere in exchange for a full amount of direct payments – and voluntary elements – bringing extra payments for farmers engaging in farming practices that go beyond the basic requirements. Mandatory requirements, also referred to ...

On 15 March 2024, the Commission put forward a regulation that would amend two regulations concerning the common agricultural policy (CAP) – the CAP Strategic Plans Regulation and the CAP Horizontal Regulation. The proposal is part of the Commission's response to widespread protests by farmers, opposing the CAP's administrative burden and environmental requirements. It was put forward without a formal public consultation and without an impact assessment. The proposal aims to reduce several environmental ...

The 'farm to fork' strategy is about building sustainable EU food systems, in line with the EU's Green Deal. Launched in May 2020, its elements are moving at different speeds, with much debate on its objectives and priorities. The EU institutions are helping to shape the various elements of the strategy. This is an update of an 'at a glance' note first published in October 2021.

A highlight of the February I 2024 plenary session was the debate on the conclusions of the special European Council meeting on 1 February, at which leaders reached agreement on EU funding, in particular for Ukraine. That was followed by a debate with the Council and Commission on the need for unwavering EU support for Ukraine, after two years of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Members also debated empowering farmers and rural communities and ensuring sustainable and fairly rewarded EU ...

This At a glance note summarises the study analysing how the CAP and state aid support farm competitiveness, including the role of young farmers and women. Challenges and drivers of EU farm competitiveness are identified. Key competitiveness indicators are analysed and their limitations are considered. The level of CAP support to competitiveness is assessed, with a comparison of the 2014-2022 and 2023-2027 programming periods. The study illustrates the Member States’ differentiated approaches to ...

This report evaluates the challenges and opportunities for the EU dairy sector in light of milk quota abolition and the sector’s medium-term prospects. It focuses on structural change in the sector, the dynamics of the dairy market, the need for environmental resilience and rural sustainability. The specific concerns of disadvantaged dairy regions are also addressed. The report offers policy recommendations for the European Parliament's consideration to bolster dairy farming and sustain rural communities ...

This IA supports the proposals for a revision of the plant and forest reproductive material legislative framework. It effectively presents the need for a revision, to avoid further divergence in implementation across Member States, thus ensuring a level playing field on the EU market and availability of high-quality reproductive material adapted to align with the European Green Deals' sustainability objectives. The baseline would have benefited from a qualitative analysis of the foresight trends ...

A large share of tourism in the European Union takes place in rural areas. However, not all tourism in rural areas is necessarily considered to constitute rural tourism. Rural tourism, whose origins lie in agritourism and farm stays, is typically built on experiences that are specific to the countryside, often includes physical activities connected with nature, is usually small in scale and involves a large number of small private businesses. It can bring numerous benefits to local communities, in ...

The EU is largely self-sufficient in agricultural products, thanks to its common agricultural policy (CAP). However, the EU livestock sector is critically dependent on imports of plant-based proteins for animal feed, especially soybeans, from Argentina, Brazil and the United States (US). The links between protein imports and deforestation, on the one hand, and the substantial greenhouse emissions (GHG) from animal farming, on the other, are also lending greater prominence to the use of plant-based ...