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Agriculture in the EU

Latest Agriculture news from the European Union.

Agriculture, fishery and forestry statistics - Main results - 2010-11- 2012 edition 18 December 2012, 13:11 CET
The pocketbook Agriculture, fishery and forestry statistics presents selected tables and graphs providing an overview on developments and the situation in the agriculture, fishery and forestry sectors of the European Union. The most recent data are presented here (reference years 2010-2011, mostly) showing the situation in the 27 Member States and at the European level (EU-27). The results of the last Agricultural Census held in 2010 are also presented.

Final review of the Séralini et al. (2012a) publication on a 2-year rodent feeding study with glyphosate formulations and GM maize NK603 as published online on 19 September 2012 in Food and Chemical Toxicology 28 November 2012, 16:58 CET
Serious defects in the design and methodology of a paper by Séralini et al. mean it does not meet acceptable scientific standards and there is no need to re-examine previous safety evaluations of genetically modified maize NK603. These are the conclusions of separate and independent assessments carried out by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and six EU Member States following publication of the paper in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology on 19 September 2012.

Evaluation of the EU School Fruit Scheme 25 October 2012, 23:43 CET
Final report, October 2012 - The School Fruit Scheme, agreed by the Council in 2008, fully supported by the European Parliament, is an important EU-wide initiative providing fruit and vegetables to schoolchildren. Its main objective is to increase the low consumption of fruit and vegetables among children by durably increasing the share of those products in their diets when their eating habits are being formed.

EU farm subsidies: Commission proposals to increase aid transparency 25 September 2012, 17:40 CET
The European Commission has adopted a proposal designed to apply new rules with regard to the publication of information on the beneficiaries of European agricultural funds. This legislative review has been prompted by a 2010 judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) which invalidated part of Commission Regulation (EC) 259/2008, particularly as regards the publication of information on individual beneficiaries of the agricultural funds. Today’s proposal takes into account the legal constraints inherent to the protection of personal data by setting certain limits upon the publication of individual names and by asking Member States to publish more detailed information, particularly on the type of aid and the description of the measures for which the funds have been allocated.

Food quality labels: faster delivery, better protection, clearer information 13 September 2012, 22:50 CET
The time it takes to obtain an EU quality label for farm produce from a given geographical area, or produced in a traditional way, could be halved by a regulation endorsed by Parliament on 13 September. The new rules, agreed by EP Agriculture Committee MEPs and Council negotiators in June, would also introduce a new label for "mountain" products. Labels for island produce and farm gate sales may follow soon.

Welfare of Laying Hens Directive 06 March 2012, 16:50 CET
Council Directive 1999/74/EC, adopted in 1999, distinguishes three types of rearing systems for laying hens: enriched cages where laying hens have at least 750 cm² of cage area per hen; non enriched cage systems where hens have at least 550 cm² of cage area per hen. From 1 January 2003 onwards such cagesmay not be built anymore or utilised for the first time. By January 2012 at the latest this system must be prohibited; and non-cage systems with nests (at least one for 7 hens), adequate perches and where the stocking density does not exceed 9 laying hens per m² usable area.

eAmbrosia - the EU geographical indications register 25 October 2023, 21:16 CET
eAmbrosia is a legal register of the names of agricultural products and foodstuffs, wine, and spirit drinks that are registered and protected across the EU. It provides a direct access to information on all registered geographical indications, including the legal instruments of protection and product specifications. It also displays key dates and links for applications and publications before the geographical indications are registered.

Organic Wine rules - guide 08 February 2012, 22:55 CET
New EU rules for “organic wine” have been agreed in the Standing Committee on Organic Farming (SCOF), and will be published in the Official Journal in the coming weeks. With the new regulation, which will apply from the 2012 harvest, organic wine growers will be allowed to use the term “organic wine” on their labels. The labels must also show the EU-organic-logo and the code number of their certifier, and must respect other wine labelling rules. Although there are already rules for “wine made from organic grapes”, these do not cover wine-making practices, i.e. the whole process from grape to wine. Wine is the one remaining sector not fully covered by the EU rules on organic farming standards under Regulation 834/2007.

Animal Welfare Strategy 2012-2015 - guide 19 January 2012, 17:32 CET
The European Commission has adopted a new four-year strategy (2012-2015) that aims to further improve the welfare of animals in the European Union.

Strategy for the Protection and Welfare of Animals 2012-2015 - EC Communication 19 January 2012, 17:14 CET
The European Commission has adopted a new four-year strategy (2012-2015) that aims to further improve the welfare of animals in the European Union.

Understanding the Common Agricultural Policy 01 December 2011, 13:39 CET
The majority of recent publications on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union address current issues and specific applications. There is little available which attempts to increase understanding of the nature of existing policies, their development, intentions, problems and successes. The aim of this book is to improve knowledge and understanding of the ‘policy process’ and its application to the CAP, focussing on the principles of policy analysis. For while the details of agricultural and environmental policies evolve, the principles upon which they are based endure. The author uses economics as a basis for his exploration, as fairly simple economics holds the key to understanding many of the fundamental pressures to which agriculture and rural areas are subject. He explains the importance of the political and administrative context in which the process occurs, acknowledging the influence of environmental and sociological concerns. Such knowledge of the conceptual framework of the ‘policy process’ and its application to the CAP is essential for all concerned with agriculture and rural livelihoods, both within the European Union and in those countries trading with the EU. This includes both students and professionals. The book provides an understanding of these principles in terms of how and why policy changes, thus increasing the efficiency and efficacy of the process.

Plant health pests and EU funding programmes to deal with them - guide 16 November 2011, 17:07 CET
The European Union today earmarked 19 million euros to co-finance programmes in seven Member States aiming to combat organisms harmful to plants and to prevent them from spreading further in the Union and thus from having sever consequences on the internal market. During a meeting of the Standing Committee on Plant Health (SCPH), the Member States endorsed two Commission proposals providing the co-financing (EUR 15 and EUR 4 million respectively) of actions already undertaken in the past or planned to be executed next year.

Scientific Opinion on the risk posed by Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and other pathogenic bacteria in seeds and sprouted seeds 15 November 2011, 19:27 CET
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has evaluated the public health risk of Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC)[1] and other pathogenic bacteria that may contaminate seeds intended for sprouting and sprouted seeds (sprouts, shoots and cress). Recognising that sprouted seeds are generally consumed raw or minimally processed, the Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ Panel) concludes that sprouted seeds are ready-to-eat foods with food safety concerns because certain pathogenic bacteria can contaminate seeds and grow during sprouting. Furthermore, preventing initial contamination during production, storage and distribution of seeds is of the foremost importance, as sprouted seeds have the potential to cause large food-borne outbreaks. Operators producing sprouted seeds should strive to implement additional food safety management measures[2] across the whole sprout production chain. Stakeholders at all parts of the production chain and consumers, including also those practising home-sprouting, should be informed of the food safety risk posed by sprouted seeds.

Report on protection of animals during transport 10 November 2011, 17:05 CET
The Commission adopted its report on the impact of Regulation EC 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport on 10 Nov. 2011 showing: Its impact on animal welfare during transport; Impact of the Regulation on trade within the EU; Socio-economic and regional implications; Implementation of the navigation systems; Enforcement of EU rules on animal welfare during transport. The Commission based the report on an external study, an opinion of the European Food Safety Authority, reports from the Food and Veterinary Office and EU countries.

Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) 10 August 2017, 23:05 CET
Created in 1979, RASFF - the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed - enables information to be shared efficiently between its members (EU-28 national food safety authorities, European Commission, EFSA, ESA, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland and Switzerland) and provides a round-the-clock service to ensure that urgent notifications are sent, received and responded to collectively and efficiently. Thanks to RASFF, many food safety risks had been averted before they could have been harmful to European consumers.

Report documents growing importance of the EU's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed 25 October 2011, 17:49 CET
The European Union's system for quick exchange of information on risks linked to food and feed - an invaluable tool especially at times of crisis - has further grown in importance during 2010, the system's annual report reveals.

"Agenda for Change" in EU development policy and EU budget support - guide 13 October 2011, 15:56 CET
The EU will re-prioritise its delivery of aid to developing countries to ensure maximum impact on poverty reduction. EU Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs has presented the 'Agenda for Change' of EU Development policy and a new policy for EU budget support. These communications set out a more strategic EU approach to reducing poverty, including through a more targeted allocation of funding. Future EU spending should concentrate on sectors which are key for long-term and inclusive growth, target countries that are in the greatest need of external support and where aid can make a difference.

Legal proposals for the CAP after 2013 12 October 2011, 14:13 CET
he European Commission's proposals for a reform of the CAP after 2013 aim to strengthen the competitiveness, sustainability and permanence of agriculture throughout the EU in order to secure for European citizens a healthy and high-quality source of food, preserve the environment and develop rural areas.

CAP Reform - the main elements 12 October 2011, 14:11 CET
The Commission has today published proposals for Four basic Council regulations for the Common Agriculture Policy – i) on Direct Payments, ii) the Single Common Market Organisation (CMO), iii) Rural Development and, iv) a Horizontal Regulation for financing, managing and monitoring the CAP. In addition, there are 3 smaller regulations to address transition arrangements to the new rules. The package also contains an Explanatory Memorandum; Citizens Summary, and Annexes linked with different aspects of the Impact Assessment.

Green Paper on promoting the tastes of Europe 14 July 2011, 23:19 CET
The European Commission has today launched a debate on the future of promotion and information schemes for EU agricultural products. With the publication of a Green Paper on these issues, the Commission is looking at how to shape a more targeted and more ambitious strategy for the future, which will make clearer to consumers – both in the EU and beyond - the quality, traditions and added-value of European agricultural and food products - on promotion measures and information provision for agricultural products: a reinforced value-added European strategy for promoting the tastes of Europe.

Rural development - Funding opportunities under the Common Agricultural Policy 16 April 2011, 23:30 CET
Direct payments support farmers' incomes without being linked to production in return for them respecting standards of environmental protection, animal welfare, food safety and keeping the land in good condition. Rural Development funding helps to improve competitiveness for farming and forestry, to protect the environment and the countryside, to improve the quality of life and diversification of the rural economy and to support locally based approaches to rural development.

Funding opportunities under the Common Agricultural Policy 20 January 2013, 21:58 CET
Direct payments support farmers' incomes without being linked to production in return for them respecting standards of environmental protection, animal welfare, food safety and keeping the land in good condition. Rural Development funding helps to improve competitiveness for farming and forestry, to protect the environment and the countryside, to improve the quality of life and diversification of the rural economy and to support locally based approaches to rural development.

Aquaculture - Maritime Affairs and Fisheries - Contracts and funding 20 January 2013, 22:00 CET
The European Commission regularly publishes calls for tenders, proposals and expressions of interest to buy in services and goods.

Animal welfare - tenders and grants 20 January 2013, 22:01 CET
Call for proposals SANCO D5/10753/2010 of EUR 3.800.000 with a view to obtaining a grant for a preparatory action on control posts. The call has been awarded to a consortium coordinated by CRPA Centro Ricerche Produzioni Animali

International Price Monitoring Newsletter - April 2011 14 April 2011, 13:31 CET
The International Price Monitoring Newsletter provides an analysis of the development of the commidity markets for grain, dairy, sugar, and meat from June 2010 until April 2011.