There were 9.4 million beehives on EU farms in 2023, according to Eurostat, with the number of beehives increasing by 1.3 million (+16%), from 8.1 million in 2020.
The European Parliament’s committee on international trade has approved a 50 per cent increase in tariffs on certain Russian and Belarusian agricultural goods to further reduce EU dependency.
EU finance ministers have reached a significant agreement on a new approach to Value Added Tax (VAT) focusing on e-commerce imports and the taxation of distance sales of imported goods.
The EU Commission has presented a major package of measures targeting the administrative burden, controls, implementation, crisis response and investment needs of the farming sector.
The Commission is investing over €7.3 billion through its Horizon Europe programme to strengthen Europe’s research and innovation engine and enhance competitiveness.
The EU Commission is looking to create a safer online environment for children with the launch of a public consultation on draft guidelines for the protection of minors online under the Digital Services Act.
Around 292,000 tonnes of pesticides were sold in the EU in 2023, marking a 9 per cent decline compared to 2022 and an 18 per cent drop compared to 2021.
