The European Commission is actively committed to preserving rural regions and combating depopulation. Initiatives such as the Rural Observatory, the Rural Pact, the EU Rural Action Plan or Regions of the EU aim to publicise the potential of rural environments to develop them and reactivate the economy and attract talent, something also favored by the […]
Read MoreThe CJEU partially annuls the Commission’s decision on the “Spanish tax lease system”.
PRESS RELEASE No 21/23 Luxembourg, 2 February 2023 The recovery of the full amount of the aid referred to was ordered on the basis of an erroneous identification of the recipients. In 2006, several complaints were made to the European Commission concerning the application of the ‘Spanish tax lease system’ (the ‘STL system’) to certain […]
Read MoreAgriculture Council: Ministers discuss possible actions to help ease the situation in Ukraine in the short and long term
Ministers took stock of the market situation in member states, particularly in light of Russia’s war against Ukraine. They further received information from the Commission on the latest developments on agricultural markets. While recent months have shown more stability, energy and input prices remain high, weakening profitability and leading to high consumer prices. Ministers exchanged […]
Read MoreCommission boosts action on pollinators
The Commission is presenting ‘A New Deal for Pollinators’ to tackle the alarming decline in wild pollinating insects in Europe, revising the 2018 EU Pollinators Initiative. Citizens have been increasingly calling for decisive action against pollinator loss, also through the recent successful European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Save Bees and Farmers‘. The renewed initiative sets out actions to be […]
Read MoreOrganic farming in the EU: a decade of growth
The share of EU agricultural land under organic farming increased by more than 50% over the period 2012-2020, with an annual increase of 5.7%. In 2020, 9.1% of the EU’s agricultural area was farmed organically. On average, though with substantial variation across Member States, organic farms are bigger than conventional farms and run by younger […]
Read More1 million for the landmark WTO fisheries subsidies agreement
The EU has pledged €1 million for the Fisheries Funding Mechanism which forms part of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies reached last year. Established in November 2022, this new Fisheries Funding Mechanism aims to support sustainability in fisheries and eliminate harmful fisheries subsidies. It will provide grants to developing and least […]
Read MoreThe EFCA strengthens its fleet with three new vessels to boost fisheries enforcement in EU waters
The European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) presented the three new EFCA´s chartered patrol vessels, which will serve as additional platforms for EU fisheries inspections in European and international waters. Following the mandate from the EU institutions to strengthen EFCA´s operational capacity for assisting the Member States and the European Commission in the monitoring, control and […]
Read MoreOn 2 January 2023, the law regulating the management system of the new CAP entered into force.
The Law is adapted to Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 which establishes rules for the implementation in the Member States of the management system of the new CAP. On 2 January 2023, Law 30/2022 of 23 December, which regulates the management system of the Common Agricultural Policy and other related matters, enters into force. It sets out […]
Read MoreFight against illegal fishing: Commission identifies Cameroon as a non-cooperating country
The Commission decided to identify Cameroon as a non-cooperating country in the fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, giving it a so-called ‘red card’. From now onwards EU Member States shall refuse the importation of fishery products from Cameroon even when accompanied by catch certificates validated by the national authorities. The decision is based on the EU’s […]
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