La Comisión Europea presenta su nueva visión de la industria agroalimentaria.

The new focus of the European Union (EU) agricultural policy presented by the European Commission on Wednesday is centered on simplifying regulations and restoring the appeal of the agricultural profession, rather than strengthening environmental standards. With this shift, the commission moves away from the controversial «farm to table» strategy, which was the agricultural component of the previous mandate’s flagship policy, the European Green Deal.

Although ambitious, the «farm to table» strategy set goals for reducing, such asReducing pesticide use by 2030. The approach has clearly shifted to Obtain necessary discounts in a different way, as explained by the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Christophe Hansen, at a press conference to present the institution’s new vision.

The decision to move away from the previous policy comes after Criticism from farmers who felt that the strategy reinforced sector polarization. Instead, the new strategy aims to revitalize agriculture, ensuring it remains competitive and able to provide fair livelihoods. «We need an approach to reward farmers rather than put too much pressure on them,» emphasized Christophe Hansen.

At the core of this new approach is the Commission’s emphasis on simplification. Efforts will begin with streamlining the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the EU’s agricultural subsidy program that currently accounts for nearly a third of the EU’s total budget.

The new strategy reduces environmental considerations

While Environmental considerations are still present in the commission’s roadmap, they are no longer the focal point as in the previous plan. Specifically, the more ambitious elements of the previous strategy have been officially abandoned, namely, the review of the European pesticides framework.

«There is no intention to take specific action on the sustainable use of the Pesticides Directive,» said a EU official. Similarly, other controversial plans such as Nutritional labeling mandatory on containers, like the color-coded Nutri-Score system, have been dropped in favor of labels indicating product origin and animal welfare standards.

Limited changes to the new CAP

Despite the policy shift, the new vision does not propose much in terms of reforming the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Apart from reiterating past unfulfilled proposals, such as capping and convergence. These measures aim to make subsidy distribution fairer by allocating more funds to small farmers and reducing payments to large agricultural companies.

The direct payment system representing around 75% of CAP funds has long been criticized for disproportionately benefitting large farms. However, the Commission’s strategy does not provide specific changes.

The focus is on prioritizing the production of essential agricultural assets to strengthen food sovereignty. The new CAP will support farmers who contribute more actively to food security, a position advocated by the European People’s Party (EPP), to which the Commissioner for Agriculture and the Commission President belong.

Farmers’ incomes: a priority

Ensuring a fair standard of living for farmers is another key element of the strategy. Many members of the European agricultural sector face financial uncertainty and a high risk of poverty as indicated by the commission in the document.

To address this situation, the EU executive plans to introduce a generational renewal strategy this year to improve access for young farmers to Land, Capital, and Skills.

Furthermore, efforts will continue to strengthen farmers’ position in the food chain, where they often struggle against powerful traders. The reform of unfair trading practices will include ambitious measures to prevent farmers from being forced to sell at low prices.

Trade

In terms of trade, the vision maintains a balanced approach, emphasizing the need to diversify markets, expand export opportunities, and reduce dependence on certain suppliers.

The commission will push for Strictly regulated production standards for imported products, especially in terms of pesticide use and animal welfare. The guiding principle is that Dangerous pesticides banned in the EU for health reasons should not be reintroduced to the market through imported products.