The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) welcomes the European Commission’s proposal to strengthen the bargaining position of farmers in food chains. However, it calls for more ambition in the Common Agricultural Policy.
A new report on Europe’s progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlights a significant slowdown, raising concerns about the EU’s ability to meet the 2030 targets. The Europe Sustainable Development Report 2025 (ESDR), published by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), finds that the pace of SDG progress between 2020 and 2023 was more than twice as slow as in the previous period.
The EESC welcomes the organisation of the Strategic Dialogue on the future of EU agriculture, which brought together key stakeholders from across the whole agri-food chain and rural communities. The consensus report from this dialogue published on 4 September highlights several key proposals that align with prior EESC recommendations, validating the EESC’s role in shaping policy through co-created, stakeholder-driven solutions.
The names of the finalists for the 2024 EU Organic Awards have been revealed today. For each of the eight categories, the top three projects have been selected, representing 24 finalists from 12 EU countries. The winners of the eight awards will be unveiled at the official ceremony in Brussels on 23 September, as part of a series of events and activities celebrating the annual EU Organic Day.
The European Union’s upcoming enlargement is poised to be a transformative event. It faces pressing global challenges, such as a new geopolitical environment, climate change and the just transitions in energy and environmental policies. The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) calls for meticulous preparation on both sides and for adherence to EU values as new members join.
An extraordinary NAT Bureau meeting took place in France, Rouen, on 8-9 September 2022, upon the initiative of Mr Arnold Puech d'Alissac (Member of the Group of Employers). The aim was to explore the French approach on carbon-farming as a follow-up of the EESC opinion on sustainable carbon cycles, as well as the agricultural assets of the Normandy region.
Strengthening local and regional food production and processing within the EU and guaranteeing decent working conditions for all workers in agriculture and the wider food sector are important objectives in seeking to improve the sustainability of the European food supply chain. Other aspects of key importance to sustainability are fair international trading practices, encouraging more women and young people into the farming sector, and structured stakeholder involvement and dialogue.
Extraordinary meeting of the Diversity Europe Group in the context of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU and the Conference on the Future of Europe on 29 November 2021
