COPA-COGECA

EU Heads of State and Government gathered in Brussels to reaffirm the need to accelerate 🇪🇺competitiveness and simplification agenda, as well as to strengthen Europe’s energy strategic autonomy, in the context of ongoing geopolitical tensions. The military escalation in the Middle East is clearly contributing to growing global instability and it is having impacts on EU farming community looking to fertilisers, energy. With 2⃣ wars on Europe’s doorstep, wars that now affect the lives of all European citizens, there is a need for strong measures. For the EU farming sector, @COPACOGECA welcome the call from EU leaders for the Commission to present a toolbox of targeted temporary measures to address energy price spikes without delay📈 The availability and prices of fertiliser for our farmers and agri-cooperatives, which are also heavily dependent on energy costs, must be treated with the same urgency. 📌On 6 March, @COPACOGECA have presented an Action plan proposing a comprehensive set of immediate, medium- and long-term measures to provide relief and stabilise the market. These need to be immediately put in place. While agriculture is strongly impacted by energy prices, the @EU_Commission should also recognise it as part of the solution and a strategic pillar of Europe’s energy transition, given agriculture significant potential to produce local and renewable energy. Like other EU industries, agriculture has significant untapped potential, that is currently constrained by red tape and administrative burdens. This is why @COPACOGECA welcome the call from EU leaders for the Commission to advance omnibus packages and simplification initiatives further, starting with the streamlining of permitting procedures. ⌛️The time of bold action is now! We call on the Commission to propose concrete measures to support the sector.

🗳️Working Party on Hops chairmanship was elected last week. 👏Congratulations to Lehmair Erich (🇩🇪 Verband Deutscher Hopfenpflanzer e.V., Hopfenpflanzerverband Hallertau e.V.) for being elected as Chair and to Michal Kovarik ( 🇨🇿 Hops Growers Union of the Czech Republic) who was elected as Vice Chair! ➡️They both are continuing their long standing commitment for the sector inside this working party.

🌱 This week at the @Europarl_EN, we celebrated the opening of “The Future of Farming is Cooperative” exhibition, organised by @Raiffeisen_DRV, with traditional music and insightful discussions. Cogeca’s President @LennartN_LRF explored the installation, highlighting how cooperatives are the backbone of European agriculture: ensuring food security, driving innovation and empowering farmers through democracy, participation, and shared responsibility. This exhibition, hosted by MEP Christine Singer is showcasing to MEPs, all EP's workers and visitors how much 🇪🇺 cooperatives belonging to farmers play a role in the food they find on shelves and eat everyday💪

🔔Committee @EP_Agriculture and Rural Development just voted to adopt its draft INI Report on #Livestock: “How to secure a sustainable future for the EU livestock sector in light of the need to ensure food security, farmers’ resilience and the challenges posed by animal diseases?” The report highlights the strategic role of the livestock sector for 🇪🇺 food security, rural economies, and nutrition. @COPACOGECA welcome its adoption that comes at a crucial time, ahead of the highly anticipated EU Livestock Strategy, expected by the end of the second quarter of 2026. Rapporteur and shadow rapporteurs have worked together on a paper that reflects a balanced and evidence-based approach that recognises livestock farmers’ efforts in improving sustainability, animal welfare, and disease prevention, while preserving the sector’s competitiveness and economic viability.

As talks intensify on the possible conclusion of the EU–Australia trade agreement, serious concerns remain about the balance of the agriculture chapter. 📄 Reports indicate that expanded market access for sensitive agricultural products — including beef, sheep meat, and sugar — raises fundamental questions about the direction of the negotiations. ⚠️ Granting disproportionate concessions in these sectors risks undermining European farmers, distorting markets, and weakening the EU’s long-standing commitment to high production standards and rural sustainability. ✅ A truly balanced and credible agreement must protect the integrity and resilience of European agriculture, ensuring that farmers and agri-cooperatives do not bear a disproportionate share of the burden. Read our full reaction >>> copa-cogeca.eu/press-releases

🌾 "This platform gives us the space to be heard, share our experiences and strengthen the role of women farmers." Francesca Gironi, President of the Women's Committee @CopaCogeca Join the #WomenInFarming Platform💚 👉 link.europa.eu/fPkBGm

🌱 Yesterday evening, brought together science, practice and policy at the @Europarl_EN to shape the future of Organic Farming in the EU! A huge thank you to co-hosts @camillalaureti1, @DarioNardella, Stefan Köhler, @AsgeriEU as well as @fiblorg and the Commission @EUAgri for a vibrant exchange of positions and visions with our experts on organics, over the realities of producing organic in the 🇪🇺 🤝The success of organic farming is a collaborative effort, and tonight’s discussions proved just how powerful that collaboration can be.

📰JOINT STATEMENT - Following the adoption of the EU environment ministers conclusions on the EU Bioeconomy Strategy at the Environment Council on 17 March, Copa and Cogeca, as well as CEPF welcome the recognition by Member States of the strategic role played by the agriculture and forestry sector for a sustainable bioeconomy. 🔗Read full joint statement: copa-cogeca.eu/press-releases

At today’s #Euractiv Agrifood Policy Conference, Copa and Cogeca's Secretary General Elli Tsiforou joined the second panel to discuss the future of the EU agrifood sector, focusing on stability, competitiveness and sustainability: 2026 is not just another year, it is the moment when the disruptions have become our new reality. Uncertainty and global instability are reshaping the world. The EU itself is redefining its role, as President @vonderleyen declared that 🇪🇺can no longer rely on the old-world order. We must build our own assertive power to safeguard our competitiveness and security. Agriculture sits at the heart of this challenge. It’s a sector exposed and vulnerable to geopolitical shocks and trade volatility, yet it remains strategic for food security, sustainability, rural vitality and peace. But the future CAP and overall support to the agricultural sector needs to be put against this background, to match the challenges and ambitions. 🚩For the first time since 1962, there’s no dedicated fund for agriculture. The two-pillar structure is under threat. Commonality, condition of fair competition, is at risk. And the decision-making process would be more complex, uncertain and burdensome than ever. The balance between competitiveness and sustainability isn’t just about rules, it’s about giving farmers the tools to invest in innovation💡. Yet the CAP’s budgetary flexibility creates unpredictability, making long-term on-farm planning and investment impossible, while the governance model and eligibility criteria of the ECF risk to leave the farming sector behind. 🗨️“Budget cuts and the dismantling of the CAP are unacceptable” for a sector that is both vulnerable and strategic ! @COPACOGECA won’t accept a scenario that would put EU’s competitiveness, security and stability at risk. The co-legislative process must change the course!

A big thanks to Ms Schubert, gender equality expert at @EUAgri, for joining @COPACOGECA's Women’s Committee to present the newly launched Women in Farming Platform and exchange with our members. The platform has strong potential, and engagement with key stakeholders will be essential for its long-term effectiveness to deliver on some of the key challenges for women farmers. 🗓️Deadline for application to be part of the platform: 30 April. 🔗agriculture.ec.europa.eu/overview-visio…

🤝Constructive exchange with @DusikJan, Deputy Director-General at @EUClimateAction today We discussed on key challenges and policy priorities for the farming sector when it comes to the future CAP/MFF, trade and simplification. @COPACOGECA stands ready to continue the close collaboration with DG Clima on key ongoing and upcoming files on carbon farming and the future climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives. Carbon farming allows for the differentiation of farmers income but market demand, a mix of public and private support and operable, simple methodologies on the ground are necessary for the sector to seize the opportunities. Farmers and agri-cooperatives look to climate neutrality objectives that respect the specificities and vulnerabilities of the sector and are supported by flexible policy frameworks.

Springwork starting in Sweden, fertilizing winter oilseed rape. Feels like there is gold in the spreader as fertilizer prices skyrocketed the last week! The @EU_Commission must deliver on farmers request for a comprehensive fertilizer strategy that makes difference on farm level

📰JOINT PRESS RELEASE - The entire 🇪🇺 rice sector sounds the alarm: either the EU acts now, or the history of European rice will be erased from our countryside! During the most recent marketing campaign, rice imports into the European Union reached around 1.7 million tonnes. A substantial share of these imports enters the EU market with reduced or zero tariffs under existing trade arrangements. At the same time, European producers face higher input costs and must comply with some of the most demanding environmental and production standards in the world. This situation is creating growing uncertainty for producers and processors across the European rice sector. Against this backdrop, the sector is calling for a swift review of existing policy tools to ensure that they remain effective in safeguarding market stability: ⚖️ Fix the safeguard mechanism: adjust GSP/EBA thresholds so the EU can act quickly when import surges disrupt the rice market. 💶 Update EU rice tariffs: revise Common Customs Tariff duties to reflect real market conditions and support the competitiveness of EU processors. 🌾 Support EU rice production: boost promotion, funding and recognition of rice as a sensitive product in EU agriculture and trade policy. 🤝 Ensure trade reciprocity: imports must meet the same environmental, food safety and labour standards as EU producers. 🛂 Strengthen border controls: enforce EU standards consistently to guarantee fair competition. Full @COPACOGECA, FERM and @EnteRisi Press release >>> copa-cogeca.eu/press-releases

Today, @LennartN_LRF, President of COGECA, and @ElliTsiforou, our Secretary-General, are in Portorož 🇸🇮 at the Cooperative Union of Slovenia Congress on the theme “Connected to the land. Connected to each other.” In addition to giving a presentation on the latest agricultural policy developments in Brussels, we came to emphasize that, in such an uncertain geopolitical, economic, and regulatory context, cooperatives are a key element of stability and resilience for 🇪🇺. As such, the Cooperative Union of Slovenia is a pillar of our European cooperative family and food security.

📢 New appointment in the Working Party on Environment & Climate at @COPACOGECA We are pleased to announce that Caroline Van der Heyden (@Boerenbond 🇧🇪) has been elected 2nd Vice-Chair of the Working Party, joining Chair Amanda Björksell (@LRFSverige 🇸🇪) and 1st Vice-Chair John Murphy (@IFAmedia 🇮🇪) to strengthen the group’s leadership. 🔍 In her new role, Caroline will focus in particular on key policy files such as the Water Framework Directive, permitting procedures, and the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED).

🚨February nitrogen fertiliser update: The trend holds! 🇪🇺 February data confirms the worrying pattern we highlighted in January: the EU imported only 365,413 t of nitrogen fertilisers, just 3⃣3⃣% of the average February imports over the past three years! In January, imports were even lower, at around 1⃣7⃣% of the three-year average. 📦 Last November–December, we imported 3,773,065 t, 1,783,454 t more than the three-year average, anticipating the upcoming 🇪🇺 CBAM mechanism. But in January–February 2026, we already imported 1,690,005 t less than the previous year, meaning the stockpiles built to prepare for CBAM are nearly exhausted. ⚠️This shortage was already critical before the war in Iran, which may now further disrupt fertiliser and energy prices. With prices under extreme pressure, CBAM effects cannot be absorbed by farmers without risking the EU’s agricultural stability. 🚜Every day, the need for action is growing on the ground. On this dossier, the @EU_Commission has the tools and capacity to act quickly. Let’s not wait until we are at the wall! >>> @COPACOGECA published a position paper last week with short, medium, and long-term proposals for the upcoming Fertiliser Action Plan : copa-cogeca.eu/publicatio