Today, the Council agreed its negotiating position (general approach) on the post-2020 common agricultural policy (CAP) reform package. This agreed position puts forward some strong commitments from member states for higher environmental ambition with instruments like mandatory eco-schemes (a novelty compared to the current policy) and enhanced conditionality. At the same time, the agreed position […]
Results from the last EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council
Last 21 September, Ministers met in Brussels and advanced discussions on the post 2020 common agriculture policy (CAP) reform package in the view of adopting the Council’s general approach in October 2020. They also discussed trade-related agricultural issues with a particular focus on recent and upcoming negotiations of free trade agreements with third countries. One […]
Commission prepares new initiatives to boost the organic farming sector
The European Commission has today launched a public consultation on its future Action Plan on Organic Farming. It is a priority for the Commission to ensure that the organic farming sector has the right tools in place as well as a well-functioning and consensual legal framework which is key to achieving the objective of 25% […]
Doctoral Student in Multi-benefit Solutions to Climate-smart Agriculture
The Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry at the University of Helsinki invites applications for the position of a doctoral student to work in a Strategic Research Council of the Academy of Finland funded project MULTA (Multi-benefit solutions to climate-smart agriculture. The doctoral student will join a multidisciplinary team to study soil carbon sequestration and climate […]
University of Almeria advances in the research for obtaining quality compost
The research carried out by the BIO-175 group has concluded although the heterogeneity of the starting materials and the enormous diversity shown by the specific microbiota of each composting process, it is possible to obtain quality products that comply with current legislation. The BIO-175 group, led by Professor Joaquín Moreno, from the University of […]
Needs of farmers and agri-food companies are significant, also in light of the COVID-19 crisis
Needs of farmers and agri-food companies are significant, also in light of the COVID-19 crisis, and EAFRD funded financial instruments have a role to play in bridging these gaps Based on the feedback of 7,600 farmers and 2,200 agri-food companies across the EU, 24 country-specific fi-compass reports present the main challenges faced by these two groups […]
PhD student plant-microbe-insect interactions: biological control of pest insects
KU Leuven is looking for a dynamic and highly-motivated PhD student who will perform innovative scientific research in the field of biological control and chemical ecology. More specifically, they aim to improve biological control of pest insects by parasitoids (i.e. parasitic wasps that lay their eggs in other insects, their ‘hosts’) by an in-depth study of […]
Coronavirus: Commission announces further measures to support the agri-food sector
The European Commission announces a new set of measures to help the agri-food sector in this unparalleled crisis, following the outbreak of the Coronavirus. The Coronavirus response investment initiative plus (CRII+) proposed today by the European Commission introduces exceptional flexibility and simplification in the use of the European structural investment funds (ESIF), including the European agricultural fund […]
Coronavirus: supporting EU’s agri-food sector
Ensuring food security and an effective food supply chain across the continent remains one of the Commission’s priorities. Following the outbreak of coronavirus, the European Union’s agri-food sector is showing its resilience and continues to provide Europeans with high quality and safe food. Nonetheless, farmers and producers are facing difficulties and increasing pressure. The Commission […]