The European Parliament recently published a comprehensive report on the impacts of climate change on agriculture, outlining the challenges, available solutions, and policy instruments to support the sector. The study highlights the increasing severity and frequency of extreme climate events such as heatwaves, cold spells, heavy rains, and droughts across

The European Commission has recently published its response to the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) titled "Save bees and farmers!" The ECI, which collected over one million statements of support, calls for a significant reduction in pesticide use, the restoration of natural ecosystems to promote biodiversity, and increased

Farmers in Bulgaria, Poland, and Romania have been on the front lines in the Russian war on Ukraine, suffering heavy losses due to the impact of the war on shipping operations in Ukrainian Black Sea Ports. To avoid threats to global food security and support Ukrainian farmers, the European Union

Young farmers face numerous challenges and barriers that can make it difficult for them to enter into and succeed in the agricultural sector. These challenges range from access to land and financing to generational succession and the impacts of climate change. To address these challenges, the European Parliament has commissioned

A recent market report published by the Commission has revealed that the EU agricultural sector is facing multiple pressures in 2023. The high costs of feed, energy, and labor are causing farmers to struggle to maintain profitability. Additionally, the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, HPAI and ASF outbreaks, and

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently released a report on the welfare of calves in the dairy industry, with recommendations for improvements in housing, nutrition and water, disease prevention and treatment and Cow-Calf Contact (CCC).  The report outlines current regulations and identifies areas where changes can be made to

Listen to this article0:00/3:001× Last year was a record-breaking year for drought in Europe, with the majority of regions being under some kind of drought warning. The impact on agriculture was significant, with crops drying out and yields being severely affected. However, it appears that 2023 may

The Sustainable Use of Pesticides Regulation (SUR), part of the ambitious EU Green Deal, seeks to reduce the use of chemical pesticides by a whopping 50% over the next 7 years, as well as promote the use of low-risk alternatives and integrated pest management.  The proposal has proved highly controversial,

Listen to this article0:00/2:361× The Danish delegation has expressed serious concerns about the proposed Nature Restoration Regulation, citing potential negative impacts on energy production and deployment. The concerns were outlined in an information note submitted to the Council on March 21, 2023. The note highlights the importance

The European Commission has registered a new European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) that aims to ban the slaughter of horses in Europe. The initiative calls for a law that would prohibit the slaughter of horses and all other equines for human consumption, as well as their breeding and export for

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is organising a public event on March 28th to present the findings of its two scientific opinions on broiler chickens and laying hens. These opinions were developed in response to a European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) calling for a phase-out of the use of

In May 2020, the European Union released its Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, which stated the goal of strictly protecting all of the EU's remaining primary and old-growth forests. To achieve this goal, the EU commissioned a Working Group to define primary and old-growth forests and develop guidelines for

The Council of the European Union has released the Presidency's first draft of Council conclusions on bioeconomy, with a particular focus on rural areas. The document highlights the important role that the bioeconomy can play in addressing challenges related to the environment, employment, and food security, while also

The proposed Sustainable Use of Pesticides Regulation (SUR) falls under the European Green Deal framework, with the primary objective of reducing the use and risk of chemical pesticides by 50% by 2030. However, in a recently published working document, MEP Clara Aguilera (S&D) highlights a number of issues

The Austrian delegation has expressed concerns about the EU-Mercosur Association Agreement and its agricultural implications in a note submitted for discussion at the upcoming Council on Agriculture and Fisheries on 20 March 2023. After 20 years of negotiations with the Mercosur member countries, an "agreement in principle" was

The update provided by the Presidency on the Commission proposal for a nature restoration regulation indicates that considerable progress has been made in discussions within the Council and European Parliament. The Environment Council held a political discussion on the proposal in December 2022, and since then, the Working Party on

The European Union has recently implemented a new regulation that sets out detailed rules for the identification of unacceptable co-formulants in plant protection products and provides a list of co-formulants that are considered unacceptable for use in plant protection products. The Regulation also requires manufacturers and importers of plant protection

The European Commission has issued a new regulation, COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2023/564, which establishes detailed rules for the content and format of records of plant protection products kept by professional users. The regulation is intended to ensure adequate recording of the use of plant protection products, as well

EFSA (the European Food Safety Authority) has recently released its latest report on the Avian influenza situation in Europe from December 2022 to March 2023. According to the report, the number of bird flu outbreaks in Europe is on the rise, with over 2,400 outbreaks reported in poultry in

The active substance Abamectin, widely used by farmers in the EU, has been renewed. This renewal comes after the European Union's thorough evaluation of the substance's impact on human and environmental health. Abamectin is a widely used insecticide and acaricide, which is used in the EU

The European Union's ambitious "Fit for 55" plan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. MEPs are set to vote on Tuesday on three laws that are part of this package: the revised legislation on land use,

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has just released its annual report on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in zoonotic and indicator bacteria from humans, animals, and food in the European Union (EU) for 2020/2021. The report provides an overview of the AMR situation in the EU, highlighting the key findings

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently conducted a peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance S-metolachlor, published February 28, 2023. S-metolachlor is a selective herbicide that is used to control grass and broadleaf weeds in a variety of crops. It was first registered for use

Brexit has been a topic of concern for many industries, and agriculture is no exception. The Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, which forms part of the UK's withdrawal agreement from the European Union, aims to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland while also maintaining