COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS A Vision for Agriculture and Food Shaping together an attractive farming and agri-food sector for future generations
Date: 2025-02-19
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: EU action, agri-foodstuffs, common agricultural policy, common fisheries policy, competitiveness, farmer, farming sector, green economy, livestock farming, sustainable agriculture

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 19.2.2025  COM(2025) 75 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS A Vision for Agriculture and Food           Shaping together an attractive farming and agri-food sector for future generations                
 
 
Contents 

1.  Shaping together an attractive EU farming and food sector for future generations ............. 2 

2.  Vision  and  objectives  for  2040:  an  agri-food  system  that  is  attractive,  competitive, 
sustainable and fair for current and future generations ........................................................ 5 

3.  Designing together the policy responses for a thriving agri-food Sector ............................. 6 

3.1.  Building an attractive sector that ensures a fair standard of living and leverages new 
income opportunities .................................................................................................. 6 

3.2.  A competitive and resilient sector in the face of global challenges ......................... 11 

3.3.  Future-proofing the agri-food sector that works hand in hand with nature ............. 17 

3.4.  Valuing food and fostering fair living and working conditions in vibrant rural areas  
 .................................................................................................................................. 20 

4.  Creating An enabling environment: Putting research, innovation, knowledge and skills at 
the heart of Europe’s agri-food economy ........................................................................... 24 

5.  CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................. 26 

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1.  SHAPING  TOGETHER  AN  ATTRACTIVE  EU  FARMING  AND  FOOD  SECTOR  FOR 

FUTURE GENERATIONS  

Farming  and  food  are  core  to  the  European  way  of  life.  Rooted  in  rich  traditions,  the 
ways we produce and enjoy food have shaped the communities, cultures, and landscapes 
that define Europe.  

Farming and food, including fisheries, are strategic sectors for the Union, providing 
safe, high-quality  food to 450 million  Europeans and playing  a key role  in  global food 
security.  The  Niinistö  report1  recognises  food  as  one  of  the  sectors  most  critical  for 
providing  essential  services  to  citizens.  The  Union  support  through  the  Common 
Agricultural  Policy  (CAP)  is  at  the  heart  of  the  European  project  for  good  reasons. 
European  food  security,  safety  and  food  sovereignty  are  non-negotiable.  European 
citizens confirm this: 94% of citizens who took  part in the latest Eurobarometer survey 
confirm that it is important to secure a stable supply of food in the EU at all times2. 

Food  is  also  part  of  our  competitiveness.  The  agri-food  system,  anchored  in  the  EU 
Single  Market  and  in  its  diversity  of  enterprises,  scope,  scale  and  production  methods, 
generated an added value of more than EUR 900 billion in 2022, providing employment 
to around 30 million people3, representing around 15% of total EU employment. As the 
largest  agri-food  exporter  in  the  world,  the  EU  has  been  steadily  increasing  its  trade 
surplus over the years, reaching EUR 70 billion in 20234. At the same time, the situation 
is different when it comes to the supply of fishery and aquaculture products, oilseeds and 
proteins crop among others, where the EU is highly reliant on imports. 

Farming and food are essential to sustaining vibrant and economically prosperous 
communities  in  rural  and  coastal  areas.  Rural  areas  are  home  to  25%  of  the  EU 
population  and  cover  75%  of  its  territory,  making  them  an  integral  part  of  Europe’s 
identity5.  Vibrant  rural  and  coastal  areas  are  key  in  fighting  depopulation  and  enabling 
‘the right to stay’. 

Farming and fishing is about working with nature. Farmers and fishers are custodians 
of nature, the foundation of a resilient Europe, and they are a vital part of the solution to 
the  protection  and  resilience  of  our  nature,  soils,  water,  air,  biodiversity,  oceans  and 
climate.  Farmers,  fishers  and  food  businesses  are  innovators  and  entrepreneurs. 
Innovation opens new business models and rewards, making the transition a win-win for 
both farmers, fishers and nature, while supporting competitiveness. 

But we should never take our food sovereignty for granted. The agri-food sector has 
withstood  the  shocks  of  the  pandemic  and  high  input  costs,  showcasing  its  incredible 
resilience. However, the pressure of geopolitical tensions, legacy effects of recent crises, 
devastating impacts of extreme weather events and environmental degradation as well as 
the consequences of structural trends are threatening the viability of this important sector 
and EU strategic autonomy. 

1   Niinistö, S., Safer together – Strengthening Europe’s Civilian and Military Preparedness and Readiness, 2024.  
2   European  Commission-  Eurobarometer  2025:  Europeans,  Agriculture  and  the  CAP  -  January  2025  -  - 

Eurobarometer survey  .  

3   Eurostat,  Key  figures  on  the  European  food  chain  –  2024  edition  (europa.eu),  2024.  Employment  figures  for 

agriculture are from 2020. 

4   DG Agriculture and Rural development, Monitoring EU agri-food trade. Developments in 2023, March 2024. 
5   Eurostat, Urban-rural Europe - introduction - Statistics Explained, accessed February 2025. 

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The agri-food sector of today is facing challenging structural transformations, including 
significant  discrepancies  in  the  scale  of  farming  operations  and  an  aging  farming 
population.  Only  around  12%  of  EU  farmers  are  under  the  age  of  406.  Even  though 
income per person engaged in agriculture has been increasing over the past decades, the 
income remains significantly lower than the average in the rest of the economy7, which 
directly impacts the livelihoods of farmers and  impedes their ability to invest, plan and 
innovate. This remains the number one factor in the mobilisation of farmers that the EU 
witnessed recently. 

While  many  young  people  express  an  interest  in  farming  as  a  career,  and  some  are 
successfully  engaged  in  thriving  family  farming  enterprises,  there  are  many  challenges 
and  barriers.  Very  uncertain  income  perspectives,  in  combination  with  complex 
regulatory  requirements  which  can  translate  into  stifling  bureaucratic  burdens,  low 
profitability  that  hampers  investments,  crisis-prone  production,  demographic  change,  a 
gender gap, a lack of access to basic services in some rural areas, and the hardship of the 
profession  are  among  the  factors  that  can  make  farming  increasingly  unattractive  for 
future  generations.  The  cumulative  impact  of  the  agri-food  sector  often  adds  to  high 
pressure on environment and climate, while at the same time farmers depend on nature to 
ensure  future  production.  Most  of  these  challenges  are  shared  by  primary  producers  in 
the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, as well as by the agri-food sector as a whole. 

The lack of certainty and stability for the professional future of European farmers has led 
to recent wide-spread protests in the EU. Against this background, it is essential for the 
EU to recognize the vital role farmers play in our lives and livelihoods, reignite the 
competitiveness and  reinforce  the  attractiveness  of this  profession so  it can thrive, 
innovate  and  provide  its  many  benefits  to  our  society  -  today,  tomorrow  and  in 
2040.  This  is  all  the  more  relevant  in  light  of  the  future  enlargement,  and  the  related 
challenges  and  opportunities  for  agriculture  and  for  farmers,  in  present  and  future  EU 
Member States. 

This  Communication  sets  out  a  vision  for  Europe’s  agri-food  system  for  2040  and 
beyond  and  presents  a  roadmap  to  guide  EU  action  to  ensure  that  all policies  work  in 
step with this vision and are adapted to new realities. In many areas, a better alignment 
between national and EU policies will be required to achieve the goals. This vision also 
supports the delivery of the EU Competitiveness Compass, the overarching EU flagship 
initiative  to  boost  EU  competitiveness8.  The  upcoming  Ocean  Pact  will  also  set  the 
frame  for  leveraging  the  EU’s  vast  maritime  area  and  coastline  to  boost  food  security, 
while  preserving  the  natural  asset  that  the  fisheries  sector  relies  on  and  boosting 
competitiveness  through  innovation.  In  addition,  the  Commission  will  prepare  a  vision 
for the  fisheries  and  aquaculture sector  with  a 2040 perspective to  ensure its long-term 
competitiveness  and  sustainability,  work  to  ensure  job  creation  and  address  pressing 
issues affecting the fishing community. 

This Communication builds on multiple strategic inputs, including notably the Strategic 
Dialogue on the future of EU agriculture9, as well as the Draghi10, Letta11, and Niinistö12 

6   Eurostat, Farmers and the agricultural labour force - statistics - Statistics Explained, accessed February 2025. 
7   DG Agriculture and Rural development, EU Farm Economics Overview, accessed February 2025. 
8   European Commission (2025), A Competitiveness Compass for the EU, COM(2025) 30 final. 

Strategic Dialogue on the future of EU Agriculture. A shared prospect for farming and food in Europe. 2024. 

9  
10   Draghi, M., The future of European competitiveness, September 2024.  
11   Letta,  E.,  Much  more  than  a  market.  Speed,  Security,  Solidarity.  Empowering  the  Single  Market  to  deliver  a 

sustainable future and prosperity for all EU Citizens, 2023. 

3 

 
 
reports. It also draws from the conclusions of the EU Heads of State and Government13, 
the conclusions of the Belgian Council Presidency on the future of agriculture (2024), as 
well as the 2024 Council conclusions on the future of the CAP. It further builds on the 
Opinions  and  Resolutions  of  the  European  Parliament,  the  European  Economic  and 
Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.  

The  policy  response  is  articulated  around  four  fundamental  priority  areas.  The 
Communication spells out  work strands on how these policy initiatives will be shaped 
in an inclusive and cooperative manner. The delivery of these priority areas rests largely 
on important flanking elements, namely simplification of the regulatory framework that 
impacts farmers and the entire agri-food value chain, and innovation that offers solutions 
for a sustainable transition.   

New way of working: Building trust and dialogue 

The  experience  shows  that  certain  topics  related  to  food  and  agriculture  can  be  very 
polarising  and  societal  consensus  is  more  likely  to  emerge  from  inclusive  approaches. 
The core of this Vision is therefore a new way of working – building trust and dialogue 
across the entire agri-food system, in the EU and globally.  

The  first  steps  have  already  been  achieved  with  the  Strategic  Dialogue  and  its 
unanimously  agreed  set  of  recommendations.  But  this  dialogue  must  go  deeper  on  the 
ground, with sustained and more effective interaction with farmers, food chain operators 
and  civil  society  at  local  and  regional  level  all  over  Europe,  listening  to  their  concerns 
and ideas. At the same time, the existing mechanisms to foster dialogue and cooperation 
with stakeholders at EU level, such as the current Civil Dialogue Groups, will need to 
be  reviewed  to  guarantee  more  meaningful  and  effective  participation  in  the  design  of 
future  policies.  The  new  European  Board  on  Agriculture  and  Food14  will  be 
supporting  the  Commission  in  creating  inclusive  policies  by  providing  strategic  advice 
and  fostering  a  new  culture  of  dialogue  among  the  different  players  in  the  agri-food 
chain.  Additionally,  the  EU CAP Network  will  continue to  facilitate  exchanges  across 
all  relevant  actors  and  Annual  Youth  Policy  Dialogues  will  empower  the  meaningful 
inclusion of young citizens and farmers in policy discussions.  

Finally, the Commission will continue to maintain a permanent dialogue with all other 
EU institutions and bodies, notably the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, 
the  Committee  of  the  Regions  and  the  European  Economic  and  Social  Committee,  as 
well as key international organisations and partners.  To ensure effective monitoring of 
the  implementation  of  this  Vision,  the  Commission  will  report  regularly  to  all  EU 
institutions on the progress regarding the successful delivery of the various initiatives. 

12      Niinistö, S., Safer together – Strengthening Europe’s Civilian and Military Preparedness and Readiness, 2024. 
13   The  European  Council’s  Strategic  Agenda  2024  –  2029,  the  2022  Versailles  Declaration,  the  2023  Granada 

Declaration and the 2024 Budapest Declaration. 

14   High-level advisory group with 30 member organisations representing three stakeholder categories: the farming 
community,  other  actors  in  the  food  supply  chain,  and  civil  society,  including  areas  such  as  environment  and 
climate, animal welfare, and consumer issues. 

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2.  VISION AND OBJECTIVES FOR 2040: AN AGRI-FOOD SYSTEM THAT IS ATTRACTIVE, 

COMPETITIVE, SUSTAINABLE AND FAIR FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS 

The Union of 2040 must be a place where farming and food production thrive across our 
continent in all their diversity. A place where farming is attractive for future generations, 
and the agri-food sector is competitive, resilient, future-proof and fair. 

The future of this strategic sector rests on the ability of the Union and its Member States 
to put in place the right conditions to enable: 

●  An  attractive  and  predictable  agri-food  sector  where  incomes  enable 
farmers  to  thrive,  attracting  future  generations15  that  will  continue  producing 
food  that  is  affordable  for  everyone  and  meets  consumer  demands;  where 
conducive  conditions  are  in  place  to  allow  the  agri-food  sector  to  leverage  its 
entrepreneurial  potential,  supported  by  different  income  sources  and  skills  to 
grasp the opportunities of innovation, technology and the green transition; where 
ecosystem services beneficial to the environment, water, soil or air quality, such 
as in the growing organic sector, are properly rewarded; where a fair functioning 
food chain ensures that the burden and costs of the transition are shared equitably 
along the chain. 

●  An  agri-food  sector  that  is  competitive  and  resilient  in  the  face  of  rising 
global competition and shocks. This hinges on the EU’s ability to diversify its 
trade relationships, creating new export opportunities for the sector and reducing 
critical  dependencies;  where  framework  and  global  actions  enable  farmers  to 
compete on a level playing field globally, alleviate the burden of bureaucracy at 
home  and  increase  the  resilience  of  the  sector  to  be  able  not  only  to  withstand 
and  recover  from  shocks  but  also  to  adapt  and  transform.  The  EU  continues  to 
contribute to global food security and pursues its partnership-building role across 
the world. 

●  A  future  proof  agri-food  sector  that  is  functioning  within  planetary 
boundaries,  where farming  and the food sector contribute together to  the EU’s 
climate  objectives,  while  preserving  healthy  soils,  clean  water  and  air,  and 
protecting and restoring Europe’s biodiversity. Stakeholders along the food chain 
contribute  jointly  to  delivering  these  results  and  share  transition  risks.  All 
segments  of  the  agri-food  system  are  much  better  prepared  to  withstand  the 
effects  of  climate  change,  biodiversity  loss  and  pollution,  use  natural  resources 
sustainably and efficiently and operate in line with a One Health approach. 

●  An  agri-food  sector  that  values  food,  fosters  fair  working  and  living 
conditions and vibrant and well-connected rural and coastal areas, including 
outermost regions; where rural areas enable their citizens’ right to stay; where the 
link between food, territory, seasonality, cultures and traditions are cherished as 
integral parts of the European way of life; where the EU remains a world leader 
in  food  innovation  and  food  safety,  and  food  is  affordable  for  citizens;  where 
mental health is not a tabu but part of the social support system for farmers and 
workers;  where  living  and  working  conditions  attract  more  women  and  young 

15   Krzysztofowicz, M., Rudkin, J., Winthagen, V. and Bock, A., Farmers of the future, EUR 30464 EN, 
Publications  Office  of  the  European  Union,  Luxembourg,  2020,  ISBN  978-92-76-26331-9, 
doi:10.2760/5237, JRC122308. 

5 

 
 
people to the profession and ensure the protection of rights of workers on farms 
and along the food value chain. 

Finally,  essential  to  the  delivery  of  this  Vision,  Europe’s  agri-food  system  is  investing 
and  leveraging  the  transformative  power  that  research,  knowledge,  skills  and 
innovation offer. 

3.  DESIGNING  TOGETHER  THE  POLICY  RESPONSES  FOR  A  THRIVING  AGRI-FOOD 

SECTOR 

This vision can only be achieved through a forward looking and coherent policy response 
articulated  around  the  central  question:  how  to  build  an  agri-food  system  that  is 
economically, socially and environmentally sustainable, and thus attractive, competitive, 
future-proof and fair for current and future generations? 

3.1.  Building an attractive  sector  that ensures  a fair standard of living and 

leverages new income opportunities 

Over  60  years  ago,  the  EU  has  committed  to  ensuring  a  fair  standard  of  living  for  the 
agricultural community, as established in Article 39 of the Treaty on the Functioning of 
the  European  Union.  This  commitment  is  as  relevant  now  as  it  was  then.  On  average, 
overall agricultural income per worker is still significantly lower than the average wages 
in the entire economy (60% of average wages in 2023)16, despite the efforts made. 

Farmers  do  not  want  to  depend  on  public  support,  but  the  volatile  nature  of  this 
profession  and  market  imbalances  often  require  this.  When  defining  the  different 
measures to achieve a fair standard of living, we must draw on all sources of income: 
market  revenues, public  support as well as diversified and new  complementary income 
sources. 

Fair and equitable food chain 

Firstly, farmers must get a better revenue from the market, enabling them to make the 
necessary  investments  to  future-proof  and  render  their  farms  more  resilient.  A 
prerequisite  for  this  is  that  current  imbalances  in  the  food  chain  where  an  unfair 
distribution  of  revenues,  risks  and  the  burden  of  costs  often  disproportionately  affect 
primary producers, are corrected. Practices where farmers are systematically forced to 
sell below costs will not be tolerated. 

First  steps  have  already  been  taken  to  rebalance  the  positions  and  facilitate  proper 
enforcement of rules tackling unfair trading practices with the proposals adopted by the 
Commission on 9 December 202417. They will strengthen the producers’ position in the 
negotiation and conclusion of contracts and better protect farmers against unfair trading 
practices. 

Moreover, several Member States have resorted to national rules that aim to address the 
challenge  of  the  production  below  cost,  which  might  however  lead  to  different 
approaches  in  the  Single  Market.  As  part  of  the  evaluation  of  the  current  rules,  unfair 

16   European  Commission,  Agri-food  Data  Portal:  Jobs  and  Growth  in  Rural  Areas.  Farmers'  income  compared  to 

wage in the rest of the economy, accessed February 2025. 

17   The recently proposed amendments to the Common Market Organisation Regulation (CMO) aim to strengthen 
the  producers’  position  in  the  negotiation  and  conclusion  of  contracts  for  the  supply  of  agricultural  products, 
foster  cooperation  among  farmers  and  improve  price  transmission.  Similarly,  the  proposed  new  rules  on  cross-
border  enforcement  in  the  framework  of  the  Unfair  Trading Practices  Directive  should  help  us  better  protect 
farmers against unfair trading practices. 

6 

 
 
trading  practices  will  be  further  investigated,  together  with  a  review  of  the  national 
regulations  as  recommended  by  the  Strategic  Dialogue.  The  Commission  will  on  this 
basis  propose  further  initiatives,  in  particular  the  revision  of  the  UTP  directive  to 
address the principle that farmers should not be forced to systematically sell their 
products below production costs, as well as the review of the CMO  regulation  in  the 
context of the post-2027 CAP proposals. 

At the same time, as suggested by the Strategic Dialogue, farmer’s position in the value 
chain must be strengthened by encouraging them to join cooperatives and/or associations 
to  reduce  costs,  increase  efficiency  and  improve  prices  from  the  market.  The  CAP  is 
already supporting farmers in this regard.  

Furthermore,  a  key  element  to  stimulate  trust  and  fairness  is  transparency  about  how 
costs and margins are formed and shared in the food chain. The Commission will further 
enhance  transparency  along  the  food  chain,  including  through  the  new  EU  Agrifood 
Chain  Observatory  (AFCO)  that  will  elaborate  and  publish  indicators  related  to  the 
formation of prices in the food chain to guide further action.  Those instruments should 
also  support  the  long-term  competitiveness  of  SMEs  in  the  food  and  drink  sector  that 
have been particularly hit by the recent inflation. 

Fairer and better targeted public support 

To ensure the continuation of farming that attracts  future generations of farmers across 
the  EU,  the  public  support  through  the  CAP  remains  essential  to  support  farmers’ 
income.  CAP  direct  payments  still  play  a  crucial  role  in  supporting  and  stabilising 
agricultural  income  at  farm  level,  accounting  for  23%  of  farm  income  on  average  in 
202018. 

The future CAP, as part of the future MFF proposals, will be simpler and more targeted, 
to  support  an  ambitious  and  future-oriented  EU  agricultural  policy.  It  will  define  a 
clearer balance between regulatory and incentives-based policies affecting farmers. 

Furthermore,  the  Commission  recognises  that  the  public  image  of  the  CAP  has  been 
impacted  by  perceptions  of  a  lack  of  fairness  in  the  distribution  of  payments  in  some 
territories. 

As  a  general  principle,  future  CAP  support  will  therefore  be  more  directed  towards 
farmers that actively engage in food production, towards the economic vitality of farms 
and the preservation of our environment. The approach should also consider prioritising 
production of agricultural products which are essential for the EU’s strategic autonomy 
and resilience. 

Small and medium-sized farmers form the social fabric of rural areas, protecting nature 
and  livelihoods.  They  should  have  the  conditions  which  enable  them  to  farm  without 
administrative  over-burden.  Given  their  scale,  the  Commission  will  consider  making 
more  attractive  and  extending  the  use  of  simplified  income  support  tools  with  a 
streamlined system of conditions and controls. 

The support should be further directed towards those farmers who need it most, with a 
particular  attention  to  the  farmers  in  areas  with  natural  constraints,  young  and  new 
farmers, and mixed farms. 

18   European  Commission  (2023).  Report  from  the  Commission  to  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council: 

Summary of the CAP Strategic Plans 2023-2027: joint effort and collective ambition. 

7 

 
 
 
Enhanced use of measures such as degressivity and capping will be considered, taking 
into  account  different  structural  and  sectorial  realities  of  Member  States.  All  farmers 
should  continue  benefiting  also  from  instruments  such  as  payments  for  ecosystem 
services that will be streamlined and simplified, as well as investment support, and crisis 
and risk management tools. 

Building  on  the  experience  of  the  current  CAP  Strategic  Plans,  there  is  a  need  for 
further streamlining of how the CAP policy is implemented. Current complexity calls 
for a more strategic approach. 

The  future  CAP  for  post-2027  will  rely  on  basic  policy  objectives  and  targeted  policy 
requirements,  while  giving  Member  States  further  responsibility  and  accountability  on 
how they meet these objectives. 

Flexibility will be extended to farmers, giving them further agency in designing farming 
practices  that  are  more  tailored  to  their  farms  and  context.  The  current  system  of 
conditionality will be simplified. Farmers have responded positively to the introduction 
of  eco-schemes,  which  reward  them  to  deliver  ecosystem  services  that  go  beyond 
mandatory  requirements.  The  Commission  will  orient  the  future  CAP  away  from 
conditions to incentives. 

Leveraging the opportunities of innovation that rewards 

Farmers  are  innovators  and  entrepreneurs  by  nature.  Young  farmers  want  to  be  the 
drivers  of  innovation.  New  opportunities  are  emerging  for  complementary  sources  of 
income for farmers and also fishers from a climate-neutral and nature-positive economy. 

Concrete  examples  are  the  growing  organic  sector  and  agroecological  farming 
practices which prove to be attractive options for younger farmers, combining economic 
possibilities with environmental results and social responsibility. 

For others, innovation offers new and exciting opportunities. For example, bioeconomy 
and circularity offer a great potential for agriculture, forestry and the entire food system, 
as well as for reducing our critical dependencies. The new Bioeconomy Strategy, to be 
presented  by  the  end  of  2025,  will  aim  at  positioning  the  European  Union  as  a  global 
leader  in  the  rapidly  expanding  bioeconomy  market.  We  must  accelerate  the 
commercialization  of  bio-based  and  circular  solutions,  scale  up  breakthrough 
biotechnologies, capture emerging market opportunities and bridge investment gaps. This 
will be particularly beneficial for the farming community by  enabling diversification of 
value streams, valorisation of farm residues, strengthening the role of primary producers 
in the value chain and generating new jobs in the rural areas. The Commission will work 
with international partners, in particular through the Food and Agriculture Organisation 
(FAO),  to  together  identify  sustainable  ways  of  mobilising  the  potential  of  the 
bioeconomy for farmers not only in Europe but also worldwide.  

Innovative  financing  tools,  including  private  and  blended  public-private  financing  for 
nature  can,  in  addition  to  public  support,  reward  farmers  who  maintain  or  transition  to 
nature-positive  practices  and  bring  them  together  with  companies  and  investors  with  a 
business interest in such practices. 

Carbon  farming  is  already  emerging  as  an  additional  source  of  income.  The  Carbon 
Removals  and  Carbon  Farming  Regulation  (CRCF)19  has  created  the  first  EU-wide 

19   Regulation 2024(EU)3012. 

8 

 
 
 
voluntary framework for certifying carbon removals, carbon farming and carbon storage 
in products across Europe, and certification methodologies are currently being developed 
to  reliably  monitor,  report,  and  verify  carbon  removals,  soil  emission  reduction,  and 
biodiversity  benefits.  These  methodologies  will  build  where  possible  on  existing 
schemes,  that  already  successfully  provide  farmers  with  additional  income.  Once  fully 
developed,  effective  ways  of  matching  offer  and  demand  of  these  voluntary  credits 
should be stimulated to optimise their additional income opportunities for farmers. 

Going forward, the Commission will complement this with developing opportunities for 
nature  credits,  units  of  nature-positive  actions,  representing  quantified  and  certified 
high-quality  nature-positive  outcomes.  A  number  of  existing  schemes  developed  by 
commercial  operators  and  ongoing  pilot  projects,  both  at  EU  and  international  level, 
show the important potential for such projects, on which further work can build. 

Important opportunities are also emerging on renewable energy production, an avenue 
which enhances energy security, decreases greenhouse gas emissions, and offers farmers 
and  foresters  additional  income  and  innovation  prospects.  Farmers  should  not  only  be 
even  more  energy-sufficient  with  for  example  solar  panels,  windmills  and  biogas 
production, but also be able to deliver their energy products to the market, including 
through energy communities. 

Examples: 

Digitalisation  (including  AI),  research  and  innovative  AgriTech  technologies  have  a 
potential  to  revolutionise  farming  and  reduce  on-farm  costs,  thus  contributing  to  better 
incomes. 

●  E-commerce  platforms,  digital  marketing  tools,  and  online  marketplaces  can  help 
farmers and other agri-food system actors reach a wider customer base and diversify 
their revenue streams. 

●  Precision  farming  and  data-based  solutions  can  increase  profitability  through  the 

optimisation of inputs. 

●  The 100 living labs of the Horizon Europe research and innovation mission ‘A Soil 
Deal for Europe’ are an unprecedented resource to support farmers to improve their 
soils  in  the  context  of  high  inputs  prices  for  fertilisers  and  water  scarcity  and  other 
extreme phenomena such as floods. 

Building an ambitious investment agenda 

A  resilient  and  sustainable  agri-food  system  requires  significant  investment  and  hence 
bold  action  to  finance  and  de-risk  the  sustainability  transition.  The  farm  sector  is 
confronted with a significant financing gap estimated at EUR 62 billion (for 2022), much 
higher than in 201720. But getting a loan from a bank, financial institutions or a private 
investor  is  hard,  especially  for  young  farmers.  This  is  a  consequence  of  the  relatively 
small  farm  size,  low  or  modest  returns  on  investment,  highly  variable  profitability  and 
risks, unpredictable production output due to weather and climate impacts and exposure 
to volatile (global) commodity markets. 

20   European Commission & EIB, Financing gap in the EU agricultural and agri-food sectors, FI Compass, 2023. 

9 

 
 
 
 
The  CAP  will  continue  to  finance  investments  to  foster  the  competitiveness, 
sustainability  and  resilience  of  the  farming  sector.  This  includes  the  often  relatively 
small-scale investments at farm level as well as public and private infrastructure needed 
for the modernisation of the sector. Existing instruments can only reinforce each other, if 
they are used in a smarter way in future. 

The Commission will work to efficiently use public funding and investment and leverage 
and  de-risk  private  capital,  working  closely  with  institutional  investors  such  as  the 
European Investment Bank Group (EIBG) as well as the banking sector. 

In this respect, the Commission will explore options to establish risk insurances schemes 
for  primary  producers  and  also  explore  public-private  partnerships 
to  attract 
investments for SMEs in agriculture and food business to step-up the agri-food chain 
transformation.  

Fostering entrepreneurship: a new generational renewal strategy 

The  future  of  food  sovereignty  in  Europe  in  2040  rests  on  the  shoulders  of  young  and 
new farmers of today. 
One  of  the  preconditions  for  an  increased  attractiveness  of  the  agricultural  sector  is  to 
tackle  the  key  barriers  to  generational  renewal,  in  particular  access  to  land, 
investments,  skills,  and  more.  “The  right  to  stay”  can  be  applied  to  the  setting  up  of 
young farmers who wish to stay and farm in their territories. 
But this responsibility cannot be solely borne by the CAP. Stimulating a true generational 
renewal requires a whole-of-society approach and a policy mix across different areas and 
responsibilities, many of which lie within national and regional competences. 
The Commission will lead the work on the Generational Renewal Strategy that will be 
delivered  in  2025,  in  close  cooperation  with  the  Member  States,  European  Parliament 
and  the  key  stakeholders.  This  strategy  will  provide  recommendations  for  the  policy 
response and measures needed, both at the EU and national/regional level. 
The limited availability of fertile land in a context of growing competition for its use and 
the consequence of climate change puts the farming community, and particularly the new 
entrants  to  the  sector,  in  a  difficult  situation.  Land  policy  covers  many  aspects,  mainly 
within  national  competences.  This  work  should  consider  land  mobility  and  transfer 
conditions,  as  well  as  land  take  mitigation  principles,  building  on  the  good  examples 
from several Member States in land mobility schemes. Equally important is transparency 
in  land  planning  and  buying.  Member  States  have  potential  to  develop  strong  levers  in 
their  national  toolbox  that  could  facilitate  generational  renewal,  including  through 
retirement schemes and tax incentives. 

In response to the European  Parliament’s request, and in line with the recommendation 
from the Strategic Dialogue, the European Commission will work towards launching an 
EU  Observatory  on  Farmland21.  We  will  enhance  transparency  and  cooperation  in 
domains  such  as  land  transactions  and  transfers  of  land  use  rights,  price  trends  and 
market  behaviour,  changes  in  land  use,  as  well  as  loss  of  agricultural  and  natural  land. 
The  observatory  will  also  help  the  Member  States  take  informed  decisions  on  the 
regulation of their farmland markets. Enhanced transparency of market developments and 

21   PP  08  25  01 — EU observatory for  agricultural  land,  control  and  access  to  farmland;  European  Parliament 
legislative resolution of 27 November 2024 on the joint text on the draft general budget of the European Union for 
the financial year 2025, P10TA(2024)0050. 

10 

 
 
 
cooperation  across  the  EU  will  make  it  easier  to  achieve  legitimate  interests  of 
agricultural policy in compliance with single market freedoms. 

3.2.  A competitive and resilient sector in the face of global challenges 

In an interconnected world in which the EU is both the world’s largest agri-food exporter 
and  one  of  the  largest  importers,  the  way  we  produce,  consume  and  trade  agricultural 
products has a major impact on our relations with third countries22.  

Wars  and  conflict  are  the  major  drivers  of  food  insecurity.  Conversely,  food  insecurity 
can  also  lead  to  instability,  and  in  the  changing  global  order,  food  is  being  used  as  a 
weapon.  Our  trade  partners  resort  to  unilateral  actions  that  target  our  key  sectors,  our 
exports  still  face  barriers  and  global  supply  chains  are  at  risk  of  distortions.  The  EU’s 
pursuit  of  high  global  standards  to  protect  universal  objectives  of  environmental 
protection, human health, animal health and welfare, plant health and food safety, is often 
seen as a trade irritant. At the same time, farmers in the EU are increasingly concerned 
by unfair global competition and lack of reciprocity. 

But  these  challenges  will  not  stop  the  Union  from  continuing  strengthening  ties  with 
many  willing  partners,  including  through  the  Global  Gateway  investment  strategy. 
Global food security and European food sovereignty will remain an integral part of 
the  EU’s  overall  security,  competitiveness  and  sustainability  agenda.  With  high 
levels of hunger, acute food insecurity and rising food prices around the world, the EU 
will  continue  to  support  third  countries  in  their  food  sovereignty,  resilience  and 
sustainability, ensuring access to safe, high quality and nutritious food for all, including 
the most vulnerable through humanitarian assistance and the respect of the International 
Humanitarian Law. 

Diversifying supply chains and promoting transformative resilience 

In  a  world  marked  by  geopolitical  and  geoeconomic  tensions,  “dependencies  are 
becoming  vulnerabilities”  in  Draghi’s  words23.  Today,  the  EU’s  food  sovereignty 
depends to a large extent on imported inputs, such as fertilisers, feed and energy, and this 
usually 
these  strategic 
dependencies  and  derisking  supply  chains  is  therefore  crucial,  while  supporting  a 
transition to a clean and increasingly resource-efficient low-carbon economy24. 

from  geographically  concentrated 

regions.  Reducing 

In  terms  of  key  import  dependencies,  the  Union's  protein  supply  is  heavily  reliant  on 
high-quality  imports  from  a  limited  number  of  origins,  making  our  food  system 
vulnerable to global market  fluctuations  and sustainability  risks25. We need to  consider 
both  the  way  protein  is  produced  and  consumed  in  the  EU.  The  Commission  will 
therefore develop a comprehensive plan to address these challenges, integrating policy, 
research  and  on  the  ground  efforts  to  create  a  more  self-sufficient  and  sustainable  EU 
protein system, while at the same time diversifying imports. 

22   The value of EU agri-food exports amounted in 2023 to €230 bn (9% of total exports) and the one of EU imports 
to  €160  bn  (6%  of  total  imports),  generating  a  €70  bn  trade  surplus.  Source:  DG  Agriculture  and  Rural 
development, Monitoring EU agri-food trade. Developments in 2023, March 2024. 

23   Draghi, M., The future of European competitiveness. Part A: A competitiveness strategy for Europe, September 

2024, p.15. 

24   Spain’s National Office of Foresight and Strategy, Resilient EU 2030. A future-oriented approach to reinforce the 

EU’s Open Strategic Autonomy and Global Leadership, 2023. 

25   DG Agriculture and Rural Development, Protein supply and demand, September 2024. 

11 

 
 
 
Another important dependency is on imported raw materials and fertilisers which are 
essential for food production and security. There has been an increasing concentration of 
imports from a few origins, particularly for urea, with about 88% of EU imports supplied 
by  four  countries26.  Reducing  these  dependencies  is  a  win-win:  (i)  for  the  European 
clean  industrial  competitiveness  by  supporting  domestic  production  of  fertilisers;  (ii) 
for  the  farmers  who  can  count  on  a  reliable  supply  and  stable  prices,  and  (iii)  for 
environment  and  climate  through  the  support  for  the  uptake  of  low-carbon  fertilisers 
and recycled nutrients, such as  RENURE  and digestate after appropriate  treatment, and 
their efficient use. 

Looking ahead, the future enlargement of the EU will bring opportunities for the EU’s 
resilience,  with  the  objective  of  maintaining  and  strengthening  production  and  export 
capacity  in  both  current  and  future  Member  States,  thereby  strengthening  the  EU’s 
strategic  autonomy  and  weight  in  global  agri-food  trade.  But  there  are  also  challenges 
that require careful consideration, in particular as regards the impact on the EU farmers. 
Preparing  for  and  effectively  addressing  the  challenges  for  EU  farmers will  be 
essential to reap the opportunities offered by enlargement, including as it could facilitate 
a gradual  integration of candidate  countries in  the  Single  Market,  while  they  progress 
towards full EU membership. 

Towards a fairer global competition  

The Union approach to a fairer global level playing field will consist of two-fold action 
that must go hand in hand: 

(a)  Global and bilateral cooperation 

In the current geopolitical context, it is clear that it will become increasingly difficult to 
achieve a global consensus on farming and food standards. 

However, the EU will continue working in Team Europe approach with our partners and 
key International Organisations to strengthen a stricter implementation of internationally 
agreed  commitments  and  to  increase  their  ambition  to  achieve  global  sustainable  food 
systems  in  line  with  the  Agenda  2030  and  the  Sustainable  Development  Goals  (SDG). 
Priority will be given to raising global standards in international standard-setting bodies 
in  areas  critical  for  ensuring  fair  competition,  particularly  when  it  comes  to  plant 
protection products and animal welfare. The Commission will present in 2025 its line 
of  action  on  deepening  reciprocity  to  the  Member  States  for  further  elaboration. 
Secondly,  the  Union  will  work  with  FAO  and  our  international  partners  in  driving  the 
development  of  a  common  approach  to  allow  a  comparable  and  fair  assessment  of 
sustainability  aspects  on  food  production  globally,  complementing  the  EU’s  work  on 
benchmarking sustainability. 

The EU will be more assertive in promoting and defending strategically the exports of 
EU products, making sure that third countries would benefit from the implementation of 
trade facilitation measures (e.g. prelisting), provided they also apply similar measures to 

26   With urea imports of 38% from Egypt, 33% from Russia and Belarus, and 19% from Algeria, Source: European 
https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/data-and-
and  Rural  Development, 

Commission,  DG  Agriculture 
analysis/markets/overviews/market-observatories/fertilisers_en, accessed February 2025. 

12 

 
 
 
 
 
the EU. We will reinforce our agri-food economic diplomacy and dedicated high-level 
missions. 

At bilateral  level, the  existing  bilateral  agricultural  policy dialogues  will  be reinforced 
and new Agrifood policy partnership dialogues will be established with key bilateral, 
regional  and  continental  partners.  In  this  context,  strategic  and  comprehensive 
partnerships  with  our  Southern  neighbourhood  and  the  upcoming  new  Pact  for  the 
Mediterranean  offer  important  opportunities.  The  EU  will  also  use  bilateral  Free  Trade 
Negotiations and Agreements to their full extent. The interests of European farmers will 
continue to be protected. The EU will reinforce the implementation and enforcement of 
Trade  and  Sustainable  Development  chapters/provisions,  as  well  as  Sustainable  Food 
Systems  chapters,  with  more  targeted  and  operational  country  specific  priorities  and 
actions,  including  in  relation  to  specific  sectors  of  activity,  as  appropriate.  In  our 
partnership  dialogues,  we  will  pay  specific  attention  to  the  possible  impact  of  EU 
regulatory policies on local agri-food systems and ensure coherence between EU internal 
and external policies related to agriculture, environment, climate and health. 

(b)  The Union framework for a competitive agri-food sector 

At the same time, the Union will ensure domestically that ambitious EU standards do not 
lead  to  economic,  environmental  and  social  leakages,  and  that  the  European  agri-food 
sector is not put at a competitive disadvantage without corresponding reciprocity. To this 
end,  the  EU  will  coherently  implement  an  SME  and  competitiveness  check  in  its 
policies as stated in the Competitiveness Compass, consistently  assessing the impact of 
Union regulations on EU farmers and agri-food SMEs, on trade and on risks of creating 
leakages,  and  thoroughly  examine  the  implications  of  free  trade  agreements  under 
negotiations for EU farmers and global sustainability. 

To ensure that the EU’s concerns about animal welfare and environmental protection are 
considered,  and  to  uphold  EU’s  moral  values  in  response  to  societal  demand,  the 
Commission  will  pursue,  in  line  with  international  rules,  a  stronger  alignment  of 
production  standards  applied  to  imported  products,  notably  on  pesticides  and 
animal welfare. 

In  that  respect,  the  Commission  will  establish  a  principle  that  the  most  hazardous 
pesticides banned in the EU for health and environmental reasons are not allowed 
back to the EU through imported products. To advance on this, the Commission will 
launch  in  2025  the  Impact  Assessment  that  will  consider  the  impacts  on  the  EU’s 
competitive  position  and  the  international  implications  and,  if  appropriate,  propose 
amendments  to  the  applicable  legal  framework.  Similarly,  the  Commission  will  also 
assess  the  issue  of  the  export  of  hazardous  chemicals,  including  pesticides,  that  are 
banned in the EU27. 

Another non-negotiable element of the Union’s policy towards imports is food and feed 
safety, animal and plant health. The EU product standards are the highest in the world 
and ensure that all imported agrifood products are safe. The Commission will ensure that 
relevant food safety legislation is properly implemented and enforced. A dedicated task 
force  will  be  established,  pulling  expertise  and  forces  from  the  Commission  and 

27   European  Commission  (2020),  Chemicals  Strategy  for  Sustainability.  Towards  a  Toxic-Free  Environment, 

COM(2020) 667 final. 

13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Member  States,  which  will  significantly  increase  the  Union’s  response  to  further 
strengthening  the  control  on  imports,  including  a  powerful  strengthening  of 
controls on the ground 

In  the  area  of  animal  welfare,  the  Commission  will  make  sure  that  future  legislative 
proposals apply the same standards for products produced in the EU and those imported 
from third countries, also addressing enforcement related issues and concerns expressed 
by  EU  citizens.  The  targeted  review  of  the  animal  welfare  legislation  will  be  an 
opportunity to apply this, in a WTO compliant way and based on an impact assessment. 

Where  our  trade  partners  resort  to  unfair  competition  and  unilateral  actions  that 
unlawfully target our agri-food sector or that of individual Member States with the aim to 
divide us as a Union, the EU will use all protective tools at its disposal. The Union will 
develop (in 2025) an ambitious Unity Safety Net for the EU agri-food sector. In cases of 
economic coercion of the EU or its Member States by non-EU countries, the Union will 
protect  the agri-food sector  through all available means,  including  in  the context of the 
WTO  or  EU  autonomous  instruments  such  as  the  Anti-Coercion  Instrument,  where 
appropriate. 

The  Commission  will  also  work  with  the  EIB  to  provide  export  credits  that  de-risk 
exports for Union agri-food sector. 

In  this  context,  the  reserve  of  EUR  1  billion  announced  in  the  context  of  the  EU-
Mercosur agreement in the next MFF will play an important role. 
In  addition,  the  Commission  will  work  on  strengthening  the  competitiveness  and 
resilience  of  sensitive  sectors  such  as  livestock,  present  a  simplification  package  that 
will  contribute  to  the  competitiveness  of  European  farmers  while  preserving  the 
contribution  to  societal  objectives,  propose  an  extension  of  the  country  of  origin 
labelling  in  line  with  sectoral  specificities  and  Single  Market  rules  and  intensify  its 
promotion policy. 

Preparedness and risk-proofing agri-food sector 

“We  must  be  better  prepared,  not  only  to  survive,  but  also  to  thrive  in  this  new 
reality”,  states  the  Niinistö  report28.  This  new  reality  has  been  marked  by  significant 
shocks,  from  the  pandemic,  the  Russian  war  of  aggression  and  market  disturbances  to 
animal/plant  diseases  and  a  volatile  geopolitical  situation.  Moreover,  extreme  weather 
events, once relatively rare, are becoming more frequent while precipitation patterns are 
changing. 

Farmers are at the forefront of many of these crises. The growing number of risks, threats 
and  uncertainties  call  for  an  ambitious  European  risk  and  crisis  management 
approach which would review and strengthen the toolbox to better manage risks and 
crises at EU level. 

Firstly,  the  incentives  for  farmers  will  be  reinforced  to  reduce  their  vulnerability  and 
exposure to risks through adaptation at the farm level, as well as incentives for farmers to 
share  risks  (e.g.  via  producer  organisations  or  cooperatives).  A  climate-resilient  EU 
agriculture  must  rely  on  policies  tailored  to  local,  regional  and  national  needs, 

28   Niinistö,  S.,  Safer  together  –  Strengthening Europe’s  Civilian  and Military  Preparedness and  Readiness,  2024, 

p.4. 

14 

 
 
 
 
 
interventions 

that  make  agricultural 

supporting  agricultural  practices  and 
productions fit for future climate conditions. 
Building  on  the  experience  of  the  initiatives  carried  out  in  the  past  years29,  additional 
steps  are  needed.  The  upcoming  European  Climate  Adaptation  Plan,  and  the 
upcoming  Water  Resilience  Strategy,  will  play  an  important  role,  in  particular  in 
supporting  Member  States  on  preparedness  and  planning,  and  addressing  the  risks  and 
impacts of climate change on energy, transport and other infrastructure, water, food and 
land in cities and rural areas. 

local 

The  future  CAP  will  support,  in  a  more  targeted  way,  measures  and  investments  that 
make  the  agricultural  sector  more  resilient  to  the  changing  conditions.  More  ambitious 
transformational changes will be needed in places where the current productions are not 
sustainable  for  the  longer  term,  through  for  example  new  local  strategies,  research  and 
innovation, including new genomic techniques to produce more climate resilient crops. 

Secondly, ambitious action is needed on risk preparedness, insurance and de-risking. In 
that  domain,  cooperation  with  the  European  Investment  Bank  (EIB),  with  banks, 
insurance and  re-insurance  companies  and with  value-chain  actors will be crucial. This 
should  lead  to  a  better  pooling  of  risks  and  an  improvement  in  the  availability  and 
affordability of agricultural insurances for farmers. 

Thirdly, the Commission and the Member States must ensure policy coherence between 
risk  and  crisis  management  tools  as  well  as  greater  flexibilities.  Crisis  management 
tools should encourage farmers to proactively manage risks and Member States to work 
towards efficient and adapted risk management strategies. 

Moreover, the functioning of the agricultural reserve should be carefully assessed with 
a view to refocusing it to specific crises of a significant magnitude, such as major market 
disturbances  and  animal/plant  health  issues. Furthermore,  the  provision  of  exceptional 
support to farmers should be better linked to appropriate risk management and preventive 
measures. 

As a follow-up to the Niinistö report, the EU should step up its level of preparedness on 
food security across the whole food chain. The activities of the European Food Security 
Crisis  Mechanism  (EFSCM)  should  continue,  be  further  developed  and  linked  to 
overall  EU  crisis  management  within  a  wholeof-government  approach.  In  consistency 
with  the  upcoming  Preparedness  Union  Strategy,  synergies  and  more  coordination 
should  be  sought  for  preparedness.  In  addition,  new  agriculture  and  food  specific  tools 
could be explored related to food reserves, joint procurement, and increased transparency 
in  times  of  crises.  Like  for  other  essential  sectors  such  as  health,  holistic  preparedness 
and  response  plans  should  be  developed  at  national  and  regional  level  covering  all 
aspects  relevant  to  the  whole  food  supply  chain  within  a  wider  EU  approach  to 
preparedness. 

Supporting the resilience of agricultural markets 

The geopolitical events resulting in trade distortions, the global competition, the impacts 
of  extreme  climatic  events  and  the  changing  consumption  patterns  are  a  source  of 
uncertainty  for  many  commodity  markets,  from  wine,  cereals,  animal  products  to  olive 

29   The  EU  Strategy  on  Adaptation  to  Climate  Change,  the  Communication  on  Managing  Climate  Risks  and  the 

CAP. 

15 

 
 
 
oil. The Commission closely monitors all markets and rapidly acts when market situation 
deteriorates.  

The specific situation of the wine sector required such a response, and the Commission 
will advance towards the implementation in 2025 of the recommendations  of the High-
Level Group on Wine30. 

The  EU  livestock  sector  is  particularly  vulnerable  to  different  shocks  and  global 
competition.  High  EU  standards  require  EU  livestock  farmers  to  be  world  leaders,  but 
their efforts are not reciprocated globally where they compete on an uneven level playing 
field.  Such  standards  also  come  at  a  cost  that  the  market  does  not  always 
reward. Livestock  is  and  will  remain  an  essential  part  of  EU  agriculture, 
competitiveness  and  cohesion.  Sustainable  livestock  is  crucial  for  the  EU  economy, 
viability of rural areas and preservation of the environment and of rural landscapes. It is a 
sector in which innovation can thrive and bring tangible benefits. 

The  EU  livestock  sector  requires  a  long-term  vision  that  respects  the  diversity  and 
sustainability of livestock production across Europe. Protecting this diversity means that 
there  cannot  be  a  'one-size-fits-all'  approach  but  rather  targeted,  territorial  solutions  for 
the  sector’s  competitiveness  and  sustainability.  A  powerful  drive  could  be  given  by 
designing  conducive  conditions  for  the  development  of  an  “excellence  livestock 
production chain”. The Commission will launch a work stream on  livestock to develop 
policy pathways that: a) provide a diagnosis of the sector’s challenges, including global 
competition; b) propose appropriate tools to accompany the sector and, where justified, 
reciprocity  measures;  c)  seek  ways  to  address  its  climate/environment  footprint, 
including  ways  to  valorise  the  link  between  livestock  production  and  maintenance  of 
environment- and climate-valuable grasslands through more extensive livestock systems 
beneficial  to  the  preservation  of  biodiversity  and  landscapes;  d)  foster  investments, 
technological  development  and  innovation;  and  e)  enhance  the  development  of 
sustainable production models. 

Reducing red tape to foster a competitive agri-food sector 

Farmers  should  be  entrepreneurs  and  providers,  not  carrying  unnecessary 
bureaucratic  or  regulatory  burdens.  As 
the  Draghi  report  stated,  excessive 
requirements  and reporting obligations impede the competitiveness  of the EU economy 
and innovation.  

The  Commission  will  deliver  an  unprecedented  simplification  effort31,  including  in 
agriculture. There is no place for the Union to design in such detail the on-farm practices 
that must be respected. Numerous requests for derogations from these obligations, often 
justified  based  on  national  and  regional  specificities,  have  proven  that  one-size-fits-all 
approaches are not the most appropriate tool for such a diversified sector.  

Additionally, there must be a better burden-sharing when it comes to the implementation 
of  regulations  and  requirements  between  farmers  and  Member  States,  paired  with  a 
stress-test and reality-check of existing and new legislation. Equally, gold plating should 
be avoided and a cumulative assessment of impacts is essential. 

30   High-Level  Group on  Wine  Policy,  Policy  Recommendations  for  the  Future  of  the  EU  Wine  Sector,  December 

2024. 

31   European Commission (2025), A Competitiveness Compass for the EU, COM(2025) 30 final. 

16 

 
 
Positive  prospects  for  simplification  stem  from  new  technologies.  For  example,  earth 
observation  satellites  help  reduce  on-the-spot  controls  and  reduce  reporting  obligations 
by  providing  real-time  and  actionable  data  at  farm  level.  The  integration  of  satellite 
technology leads to better resource use, reduced input costs, and improved sustainability. 
Accordingly,  continuity  and  evolution  of  EU  space  assets  i.e.  Copernicus  and  Galileo 
will  further  foster  simplification  and  competitiveness.  Furthermore,  data-sharing 
technologies  could  cut  red  tape  by  providing  for  more  streamlined  and  automated 
reporting opportunities. 

The Commission will  propose in Q2 2025 a comprehensive Simplification package of 
the  current  agricultural  legislative  framework  which  will  deliver:  (i)  On-farm 
simplification  and  streamlining  of  requirements  that  better  recognise  various  situations 
and farming practices (such as organic farming); (ii) Streamlining support for smaller and 
medium-sized 
(iii)  Boosting 
farms  by  greater  use  of  simplified  payments; 
competitiveness  through  improved  and  simplified  planning  and  access  to  financial 
instruments  available  under  the  current  MFF;  (iv)  Giving  greater  flexibility  to  the 
Member States for the management of strategic plans. 

In addition, the Commission will work in 2025 on delivering a cross-cutting legislative 
simplification  package  of  measures  that  deliver  meaningful  simplification  in  other 
policy  areas  than  the  CAP  that  affect  farmers,  the  food  and  feed  businesses  and  the 
related administrations. It will focus on elements that will help farmers and food and feed 
businesses  be  more  competitive  and  resilient,  also  in  view  of  geopolitical  shocks  and 
global competition. 

3.3. 

Future-proofing  the  agri-food  sector  that  works  hand  in  hand  with 
nature 

Like no other sector, food production is based on, and inextricably linked to, nature and 
ecosystems.  The  ability  of  farmers  to  produce  food  in  the  long  run  and  be  resilient 
depend  on  resilient  ecosystems,  maintenance  of  soils,  fight  against  pests  and  diseases, 
pollination of crops, water quality and availability, clean air and climate conditions. The 
EU has the objective to be climate neutral by 2050 and fight and reverse environmental 
degradation.  The  agri-food  sector  has  an  important  contribution  to  make  towards  this 
objective and draws benefits from this. 

At  the  same  time,  the  ecological  transition  must  carefully  integrate  economic  and 
implementation  challenges,  as  well  as  the  need  for  a  just  transition  in  social  terms.  It 
must  also  recognise  specificities  of  farming:  on  the  one  hand,  agriculture  will  always 
have  a  degree  of  impact  on  natural  resources,  with  limitations  in  terms  of  mitigation 
compared  to  other  sectors  of  the  economy.  Similarly,  situations  across  regions  and 
territories  differ  greatly.  This  naturally  calls  for  well-tailored  and  targeted  solutions, 
including nature-based solutions. 

Where decarbonisation and competitiveness go hand in hand 

Agricultural activities can remove carbon from the atmosphere into soils and biomass; in 
most  cases,  these  activities  also  make  food  production  more  resilient  to  climate-related 
damage, and therefore contributing to food security. As all sectors need to contribute to 
the  emissions  reduction,  climate  action  in  the  agri-food  sector  is  essential  to  meet  the 
broader goal of a climate-neutral and resilient EU by 2050. 

17 

 
The Commission expects agriculture to achieve the emissions cuts in alignment with the 
EU climate target for 2030. Building on this, the Commission will consider pathways for 
the  contribution  of  the  agricultural  sector  to  the  EU’s  2040  climate  target,  taking  into 
account the specificities of the sector and focusing on its competitiveness, the need to 
ensure  food  security  and  to  strengthen  the  bioeconomy,  and  in  dialogue  with  the 
sector  and  the  Member  States.  This  approach  will  be  reflected  in  the  review  of  the 
relevant legislation regulating GHG emissions and removals from the agriculture and the 
Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry sectors. 

With  effective  policies  that  reward  good  practices  and  approaches  tailored  to 
specific needs, there is room to further decrease emissions from agriculture faster while 
enhancing  carbon  removals  in  the  land  sector,  in  soils  and  forests.  For  prevailing 
emissions  from  livestock,  the  recommendations  from  the  livestock  work  stream  will 
serve as the basis for the further development of a toolbox of tailored measures to support 
the sector and regions in their efforts to reduce emissions. Technological advancements, 
including in feeding strategies, will also contribute. Linked to this, the future CAP will 
assess  how  to  support  farmers  best  in  reducing  further  greenhouse  gas  emissions  from 
their farming and livestock activities. 

The food and drink industry, as well as the retail sector, have also a crucial role to play in 
contributing to the 2040 climate target and the environment protection. Clear policies and 
incentives  should  be  put  in  place  to  realise  the  innovation  potential  in  the  food  system 
and  the  bioeconomy  at  large  and  to  deliver  healthy,  affordable  and  sustainable  food  to 
EU citizens. 

Incentivising sustainability  

Environmental  sustainability  is  increasingly  a  license  to  produce  for  farmers.  The 
opportunities  from  nature  and  climate  protection  can  provide  a  positive  agenda  for 
European  agriculture.  Working  with  nature  provides  resilience  for  farming  for  future 
generations, and it has started its incremental steps to draw in financing from the private 
sector,  which  should  be  further  explored  as  a  complementary  source  of  income,  in 
addition  to  public  support.  When  it  comes  to  carbon  removals,  carbon  farming  and 
carbon storage, these approaches will become more harmonised in the EU thanks to the 
Carbon  Removal  and  Carbon  Farming  (CRCF)  certification  framework.  The  upcoming 
harmonised  CRCF  methodologies  and  verification  rules  will  bring  more  clarity  in  that 
regard. 

However,  in  recent  years  European  farms  have  seen  a  substantial  multiplication  of 
sustainability  standards,  certifications  and  reporting  requirements,  set  by  various 
actors,  organisations  and  institutions,  both  public  and  private.  These  different 
methodologies  and  reporting  requirements  touch  on  wide  range  of  aspects  related  to 
sustainability  and  are  resulting 
landscape,  characterised  by 
inconsistencies between standards, incomparability of initiatives, and misleading signals 
as to the direction to take. This creates high transaction costs and confusion for farmers 
and bears the risk of ‘greenwashing’ practices. 

in  a  fragmented 

To  address  this  problem,  in  addition  to  simplifying  and  streamlining  EU  requirements, 
the  Commission  will  also  develop  and  gradually  phase  in  a  voluntary  benchmarking 
system  for  on-farm  sustainability  assessments,  thus  allowing  simplification  and 
benchmarking to go hand in hand. Similar benchmarking approaches could be developed 

18 

 
 
 
 
together with and extended to the whole agrifood sector, including supporting consumer 
choices. 

An example of benchmarking: On-farm Sustainability Compass 

The  sustainability  compass  should  act  as  a  one-stop-shop  that  streamlines  reporting 
and reduces administrative burdens for farmers, allowing them to monitor and record 
sustainability  data  only  once.  Secondly,  it  will  support  farmers  in  gradually  adopting 
more sustainable practices and attracting new sources of financing. It will allow them to 
better  measure  and  benchmark  their  sustainability  performance  and  demonstrate 
their  provision  of  ecosystem  services  through  easier  data  sharing.  Thirdly,  improved 
measurement and reporting can help design public policies in a proportionate way. This 
voluntary  system  for  on-farm  sustainability  assessments  will  be  developed  based  on  a 
bottom-up, participatory and ‘customer-driven’ approach. 

Farming and nature 

Ensuring  that  agriculture  and  nature  go  hand  in  hand  requires  better  implementation, 
streamlining  and  enforcement  of  existing  legislation  and  using  incentives  and  new 
market-based tools to promote change. 

Additionally,  farmers  need  a  more  advanced  toolbox  to  be  able  to  farm  in  a  nature-
friendly way and achieve the set objectives. This toolbox requires a well-calibrated mix 
of a better targeted public support from the future CAP, investments into nature-friendly 
solutions,  more  economic  incentives,  tailored  advice  drawing  on  advances  in  research 
and innovation, and a more agile regulatory environment. 

One  such  example  is  the  EU  ambition  to  reduce  the  use  of  harmful  pesticides.  This  is 
important  both  for  the  long-term  resilience  of  farming,  nature  and  health  protection. 
However, the introduction of alternatives in a form of biological or innovative low-risk 
plant protection products has not followed with the same pace as the withdrawal of active 
substances from the EU market. If this trend continues, it can affect the EU’s ability to 
ensure  food  production.  The  Commission  will  therefore  carefully  consider  any  further 
ban  of  pesticides  if  alternatives  are  not  yet  available,  unless  the  pesticide  in  question 
represents a threat to human health or to the environment that agriculture relies upon for 
its viability. 

Equally, the Commission will in 2025, as part of the simplification package in Q4, put 
forward a proposal that accelerates the access for biopesticides to the EU market. It 
will  provide  a  definition  of  biocontrol  active  substances,  introduce  the  possibility  for 
Member  States  to  grant  provisional  authorisations  for  plant  protection  products 
containing  such  biocontrol  active  substances  while  their  evaluation  is  still  ongoing  and 
create a fast-track procedure for their approval and authorisation. 

Furthermore,  the  European  Food  Safety  Authority  (EFSA)  will  have  to  be  reinforced 
with additional resources to speed up risk assessment procedures so that it can continue 
playing a central role in providing timely, transparent and independent scientific advice. 
This  will  facilitate  the  access  to  the  EU  market  of  innovative  plant  protection  products 
while ensuring a high level of protection of consumers’ health and the environment. 

Healthy soil is the basis for farming, today and tomorrow. At the same time, European 
soils are under strain from factors including climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution 
and in some cases unsustainable soil management. To address this, the Commission will 
incentivise and support farming practices that recover, maintain or improve soil health. 

19 

 
 
Continuous  support  for  organic  farming  remains  essential,  while  other  integrated 
approaches could be further encouraged. In this respect, putting in place independent and 
reliable  advisory  services  will  be  critical  to  ensure  that  farmers  can  draw  on  best 
knowledge profiting soil and farming. 

Agriculture is heavily reliant on water, requiring a steady and safe supply to ensure the 
health  and  wellbeing  of  crops,  livestock,  and  all  forms  of  life.  However,  water  is 
vulnerable  to  a  number  of  challenges  including  agriculture-related  abstraction  and 
pollution. The EU is increasingly affected by water stress since water scarcity is further 
exacerbated by climate change. Adverse weather events due to climate change are a key 
risk  to  crop  production,  especially  in  Southern  Europe32.  The  Commission  will  soon 
present a Water Resilience Strategy that will outline the Commission’s response to the 
pressing  need  for  more  efficient  water  uses,  reducing  water  pollution  and  addressing 
challenges elated to over-abstraction of water resources. 

Special  attention  needs  to  be  paid  to  improving  nutrients  management  at  farm  level 
and  increasing  nutrients  circularity.  Priority  should  be  given  to  addressing  nutrient 
pollution hotspots  and promoting integrated territorial  approaches. A key aspect of this 
would  be  the  management  and  control  of  nutrients  from  livestock  farming  to  limit 
negative  externalities,  support  extensification 
livestock 
concentrations,  and  promote  circularity  which  can  help  reduce  the  use  of  synthetic 
fertilisers. The evaluation of the Nitrates Directive due at the end of 2025 will provide 
further evidence to inform the discussion. 

regions  with  high 

in 

3.4.  Valuing food and fostering fair living and working conditions in vibrant 

rural areas 

Food connects people across territories and regions. It connects farmers with consumers 
and links urban centres with rural dwellers. Farmers, fishers and food production are the 
glue  that  keep  rural  and  coastal  communities  strong  and  form  the  basis  of  further 
economic  activity.  Dynamic  rural  areas  foster  quality  food  production  which  in  turn 
supports their economy. Reinvigorating these connections between food and territory and 
revitalising rural areas will be essential for the future of farming in Europe. 

Fair living and working conditions across European rural and coastal areas  

Demographic challenges, ageing and depopulation trends in particular, paired with poor 
generational  renewal, are  leading  to  a  decline  in  the  working  age  population  in  most 
rural and in many coastal areas throughout the Union.  

As a result of the geopolitical tensions, the EU’s Eastern border regions most affected by 
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine are rural areas of particular vulnerability and 
concern  and  need  particular  support.  Socio-economic  decline  and 
increasing 
depopulation  will  have  additional  security  implications  here,  while  these  mostly  rural 
areas are of strategic importance for the EU’s security. 

Besides access  to  land and capital,  the availability of better education, quality  jobs  and 
career opportunities, better mobility, basic health services, and  connectivity  are all pre-
conditions  for  the  vitality  of  rural  areas  and  for  attracting  new  workforce  in  the  food 
sector. Food and feed production in the EU is also dependent on farm workers, which are 
frequently  coming from  other EU Member States or from third countries  and too  often 
work  under  precarious  conditions.  This  needs  to  be,  more  than  before,  proactively 

32   European Environmental Agency, European Climate Risk Assessment, 2024. 

20 

 
 
 
 
addressed and considered in public policies. Linked to this, social dialogue and collective 
bargaining have an important role to play, in line with national law and traditions. 

Farming is a rewarding but also a demanding profession, often characterised by lack of 
work-life balance, and frequent isolation and loneliness, which many times affect mental 
health. Suicide rates among farmers are 20% higher than the national average in certain 
Member  States33.  The  Farm  Advisory  Services  under  the  CAP  can  be  instrumental  in 
raising  awareness  on  mental  health  and  accidents  at  work  through  specific  advice  to 
farmers.  For  example,  the  Irish  Teagasc  has  been  actively  supporting  farmers’  mental 
health and raising awareness through its numerous activities34. 

Alongside  the  CAP,  a  number  of  other  policies,  including  Cohesion  policy,  have  a 
significant  impact  on  rural  areas  and  contribute  to  social,  economic  and  territorial 
cohesion in Europe. The contribution of Cohesion Policy to the economic diversification 
and the provision of infrastructure and associated services can play a greater role to help 
rural  areas  to  remain  attractive  places  to  live  for  farmers,  their  families  and  other  rural 
inhabitants,  as  well  as  stimulate  tourism.  Agritourism  in  particular  can  provide  farmers 
with a complementary income. 

Synergies  and  complementarities  must  be  further  enhanced  to  ensure  effective 
support  and  tangible  impact  in  rural  areas.  A  closer  coordination  of  funding 
instruments  with  sectorial  policies  can  contribute  to  the  development  of  rural  areas 
through integrated planning and implementation efforts.  

In  2025,  the  Commission  will  launch  an  updated  EU  Rural  Action  Plan  that  will  be 
consolidated  with  projects,  initiatives  and  actions  from  numerous  policies  of  the  EU  to 
respond to the new European policy priorities post-2027. The rural proofing principle, 
including  territorial  impact  assessments,  will  be  further  operationalised  and  sufficiently 
resourced  at  EU  level.  Moreover,  the  Rural  Pact35,  launched  in  2021  to  provide  a 
framework  for  cooperation  with  stakeholders,  will  be  further  strengthened  as  the 
instrument for dialogue and engagement of civil society and rural communities – both in 
supporting  implementation  and  policy  discussions.  The  Commission  will  also  take 
further action to address the targeted spread of disinformation in rural areas. 

Furthermore,  circular  economy  contains  significant  potential  for  the  economy  of  rural 
areas, in particular through the bioeconomy. In the long-term Vision for rural areas36, the 
Commission  estimated that the further development  of the bioeconomy  will lead to  the 
creation of 400,000 new highly skilled jobs by 2035 and up to 700,000 by 2050, mostly 
in rural areas. 

tools, 

local  development 

like  LEADER/community-led 

Participatory 
local 
development and other forms of cooperation like Smart villages, which proved their 
efficiency, will be further strengthened. The concept  of  functional  rural  areas will be 
further  developed  in  view  of  addressing  the  gap  in  the  availability  and  affordability  of 
services for rural citizens, in line with the Commission’s commitment to address the need 
for an effective ‘right to stay’ for all European citizens. This concerns all rural areas, with 
relevance  for  remote  areas  and  those  that  do  not  have  immediate  access  to  services 

33   European Commission (2023), Communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health, COM(2023) 298 

final. 

34   Teagasc & Mental Health Ireland,  Sowing Seeds of Support: Positive Mental Health Guidance for the Farming 

Community, 2024. 

35   Rural Pact Platform homepage | Rural Pact Community Platform . 
36   European  Commission  (2021),  A  long-term  Vision  for  the  EU's  Rural  Areas  -  Towards  stronger,  connected, 

resilient and prosperous rural areas by 2040. COM(2021) 345 final. 

21 

 
 
offered by towns and cities. Here, small and medium-sized towns have an important role 
in providing access to services and infrastructure.  

Outermost  regions  have  specificities  that  require  specific  and  targeted  support.  The 
Commission  confirms  the  importance  of  the  POSEI  scheme  to  support  farmers  in  the 
outermost regions.  The results of the ongoing evaluation will feed into the reflection on 
how to ensure that POSEI can guarantee the long-term future of the agricultural sector in 
the  outermost  regions,  further  contributing  to  their  food  security  and  sovereignty, 
competitiveness and resilience. 

To  attract  more  women  to  farming  and  to  allow  for  exchange  of  experience,  the 
Commission will establish a Women in Farming platform that will strengthen women's 
engagement and equal opportunities in the farming sector thanks to the actions brought 
about  by  the  Platform  members.  It  will  also  serve  as  a  forum  to  discuss  and  exchange 
good practices. 

Valuing food: reestablishing the essential link between farming, territory and food and 
harnessing the power of innovation 

Over  the  past  decades,  consumers’  relationship  with  food  has  evolved.  Food  is  more 
processed,  eating  habits  are  changing  and  supply  chains  have  gotten  longer  and  more 
complex.  At  the  same  time,  food  affordability  remains  a  major  concern,  especially  for 
low-income  households.  While  the  link  between  farming,  food  and  territory  has 
weakened, changing societal expectations with regard to food hold opportunities for the 
sector.  Therefore,  going  back  to  the  “roots”  and  re-establishing  the  link  between 
food, territory, seasonality, cultures and local traditions is very important. 

Consumers  have  an  important  role  to  play  in  the  transition.  Farmers  and  fishers  face 
pressure  to  improve  their  environmental  performance,  while  markets  fail  to  reward  the 
progress already made and to incentivise further sustainability practices. 

To  make  informed  choices,  consumers  need  access  to  trustworthy  information.  The 
Commission  will  continue  to  enforce  EU  consumer  protection  laws  to  prevent  unfair 
commercial  practices.  Clearing  out  misleading  environmental  claims  and  unreliable 
sustainability labels is a prerequisite for equipping consumers with the information they 
need to make sustainable choices.  

Food  is  a  crucial  part  of  any  discussion  on  the  future  of  agriculture  and  food 
production  in  Europe.  But  it  is  also  sensitive,  as  experience  shows,  where  social  and 
cultural traditions come into play. This chapter identifies areas where Union action can 
bring  added  value,  without  encroaching  on  the  national  and  regional  competences  in 
health policy and the freedom to choose. 

Local authorities are often well placed to lead engagement on how to shape favourable 
food environments through community-led initiatives, including food councils that foster 
dialogue  on  how  to  enhance  the  affordability  and  availability  of  healthy,  high-quality 
food. The Commission will promote such initiatives at national and regional/local level 
and  facilitate  further  exchange  of  good  practices  across  Member  States.  One  aspect 
where the Union can help is to bring this dialogue and interaction to the EU level. 

Therefore,  the  Commission  will  hold  every  year  a  Food  Dialogue  with  the  food 
system’s  actors,  including  consumers,  primary  producers,  industry,  retailers,  public 

22 

 
 
 
 
authorities and civil society. This dialogue would be the forum to address pressing issues 
such  as  food  reformulation,  collection  of  data  on  dietary  intake  and  food  affordability, 
just to name a few. To support this dialogue, the Commission will launch a study on the 
impact of the consumption of the so-called ‘ultra-processed foods’. 

In  this  context,  the  Food  Dialogue  should  also  aim  to  promote  the  exchange  of  best 
practices and monitor the way food poverty is addressed in Member States by the use of 
EU and national instruments, including social policies, school schemes and food stamps 
for the most vulnerable households. 

Additionally, the Commission will come forward with a legal proposal to strengthen the 
role of public procurement. Public procurement should pursue a “best value” approach 
to reward quality and sustainability efforts made by European farmers, food industry and 
services,  and  should  provide  opportunities  for  small  and  medium-sized  enterprises 
(SMEs) to participate in such activities.  This can provide the right incentives to promote 
the consumption of local, seasonal products, and food produced with high environmental 
and social standards, including organic products and food originating from shorter supply 
chains. Linked to this, the development of short food supply chains remains of strategic 
importance to ensure fairer prices for farmers, fishers and improved access to fresh and 
seasonal products for consumers. 

Furthermore, the Commission will propose a targeted review of a successful EU school 
scheme  to  strengthen  its  education  dimension,  adapted  to  the  local  and  regional  needs 
and traditions. The EU promotion policy will remain a strategic policy tool to be used to 
enhance consumer awareness about EU agricultural and fishery and aquaculture products 
and  quality  schemes,  including  the  EU  organic  farming  label.  Linked  to  this,  the 
Commission  will  continue  working  to  promote  further  uptake  of  geographical 
indications  (GIs)  which are a powerful tool for European producers in  valorising their 
food  and  drink  products,  preserving  food  heritage  across  Member  States  and  creating 
growth and jobs in the rural areas where they are located. 

in 

investments 

The  contribution  of  the  food  industry  is  essential  to  develop  business  models  that 
strengthen every part of the value chain and look also at the wellbeing of farmers, fishers, 
sector  workers  and  consumers.  In  this  respect,  a  comprehensive  approach  is  needed  to 
encourage 
innovation,  resilience  and 
the  competitiveness, 
sustainability in food processing, distribution and sale to address current gaps and 
challenges. The Commission will also continue supporting very actively the uptake and 
results  generated  by  the  implementation  of  the  EU  Code  of  Conduct  on  Responsible 
Food Business and Marketing Practices and evaluate whether further action is needed 
if  the  achievements  generated  by  the  Code  of  Conduct  do  not  meet  the  expected 
ambition.  Business  support  organisations  should  be  mobilised  to  better  support  food 
processing SMEs and create virtual innovation hubs. 

In this respect, SME networking can be facilitated by the European Cluster Collaboration 
Platform,  as  well  as  by  the  upcoming  agri-food  Transition  Pathway  Platform.  This 
Platform will also facilitate the overall implementation of the Code of Conduct and the 
transition pathway for the agri-food industrial ecosystem. 

As diverse and balanced nutrition can impact positively people’s well-being and health, it 
is important to advance with Member States the work on monitoring the effects of certain 
advertising and marketing practices of  food.  In particular, the impact on the health and 
well-being  of  the  most  vulnerable  groups  of  consumers,  such  as  children,  should  be 
investigated. 

23 

 
Innovative  technologies  have  emerged,  including  in  the  field  of  food  technology, 
biotechnology  and  biomanufacturing.  Keeping  Europe’s  innovation  edge  in  such  new 
technologies is paramount for the sector to remain competitive and for the EU to remain 
a  world  leader  in  food  innovation.  At  the  same  time,  certain  food  innovation  is 
sometimes seen as a threat to the traditions and culture across Europe. This calls for an 
enhanced  dialogue  on  this  matter  and  better  knowledge,  to  make  sure  that  these 
innovations  can  be  assessed  in  an  inclusive  way  that  also  considers  social,  ethical, 
economic, environmental and cultural aspects of food innovation. 

Finally,  new  societal  expectations  regarding  food  are  shaping  consumer  behaviour,  in 
particular when it comes to animal welfare and product origin. If well supported, this can 
present  new  opportunities  for  farmers.  To  address  this,  the  Commission  will  closely 
exchange  with  farmers,  the  food  chain  and  civil  society  and  on  that  basis  present 
proposals  on  the  revision  of  the  existing  animal  welfare  legislation,  including  its 
commitment  to  phase  out  cages.  This  revision  will  be  based  on  the  latest  scientific 
evidence and take into account the socio-economic impact on farmers and the agri-food 
chain,  providing  support  and  appropriate,  species-specific  transition  periods  and 
pathways. Linked to this, the Commission will  consider targeted labelling in relation to 
animal welfare to address societal expectations. 

At the same time, continuing efforts to reduce food loss and food waste is a key priority 
for  the  years  to  come.  Reducing  and  valuing  food  losses  and  food  waste  will  not  only 
benefit  EU  citizens,  farmers  and  all  other  actors  across  the  food  supply  chain  but  will 
also  increase  the  sustainability  of  the  EU  food  system,  contributing  to  more  efficient 
resource use and food security. 

4.  CREATING  AN  ENABLING  ENVIRONMENT:  PUTTING  RESEARCH,  INNOVATION, 

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS AT THE HEART OF EUROPE’S AGRI-FOOD ECONOMY 

Digitalisation as a driver to further advance the transition 

The  digital  transition  moves  at  unprecedented  speed  and  can  contribute  to  quickly 
improving  farm  economic  performance,  resilience  and  sustainability.  Advanced  digital 
technologies, including artificial intelligence, in combination with data from Internet of 
Things (IoT) and other sources can significantly enhance operations and drive innovation 
and revolutionise the way we produce food, taking care of the environment, climate and 
people.  Nonetheless  the  adoption  of  digital  tools  lags  behind  in  agriculture  and  other 
parts of the food system. Perceived high costs, lack of digital skills and trust, absence of 
tailored  solutions  and  connectivity  issues  are  among  the  main  reasons  why  farmers  are 
not fully tapping into the digitalisation wave.  

The priority will be to ensure connectivity in rural areas, particularly in remote areas, 
while  also  taking  advantage  of  the  opportunities  provided  by  alternative  connectivity 
solutions  and  edge  computing.  Investing  in  the  enabling  environment,  such  as  lifelong 
training in digital skills and advice, is also crucial, as well as encouraging testing and 
adoption,  also  collectively  (e.g.  via  cooperatives).  Digital  systems  need  to  be  further 
integrated and harmonised, both for the collection of data by farmers, other food system 
actors  and  Member  States’  systems.  The  Commission  will  pursue  a  ‘collect  once,  use 
multiple times’ principle, reducing reporting burden for farmers under consideration of 
existing  and  already  evolving  EU  level  initiatives,  like  the  Common  European 
Agricultural Data Space. 

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To deliver on these challenges the Commission will launch an EU digital strategy for 
agriculture  to  enable  the  transition  to  a  digital-ready  and  future-oriented  farming  and 
food sector, while avoiding possible pitfalls37. 

Knowledge, Research & Innovation as catalysts of change 

New knowledge and innovations must reach farmers and other food system actors 
more  quickly  and  at  wider  scale,  with  concrete  on-farm  and  on-site  applicability  of 
innovative  solutions.  And  we  are  not  starting  from  zero.  The  Horizon  Europe  Mission 
Soil  supports  farmers  in  their  transition  to  sustainable  soil  practices  through  a 
combination of R&I and on-site testing and experimentation, which should be continued 
to achieve healthy soils in the EU by 2050. 

The  innovation  is  advancing  and  should  be  embraced.  For  example,  testing  regulatory 
initiatives,  new  technologies  or  business  models  in  sandboxes  (e.g.  for  digital  tools  in 
agriculture) before rolling them out, and innovation procurement will help to remove 
barriers for more innovation ready to be used by farmers. 

To  deliver  results  tailored  to  farmers’  needs,  the  co-creation  of  knowledge  and 
innovation in local experimentation sites on-farm with farmers, scientists, innovators and 
business, e.g. in living laboratories, should be scaled up. 

Developing a new EU strategic approach to R&I to improve the competitiveness of 
agriculture,  forestry  and  rural  areas  will  be  paramount  to  target  investments 
efficiently,  align  future  priorities  with  scientific  developments  and  grasp  new 
opportunities. 

In  this  endeavour,  further  strengthening  existing  public-public  and  public-private  R&I 
partnerships and considering new ones will be key to pool resources, talents, and research 
infrastructures. In this respect, a strengthened cooperation with the Standing Committee 
on Agricultural Research (SCAR) is key.  On the global stage, reinforcing international 
partnerships  and  cooperation  with  international  organisations  like  FAO,  WOAH, 
CGIAR and OECD will help deliver on innovative solutions to the global challenges and 
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

Plant  breeding  innovations,  including  the  use  of  biotechnological  tools  such  as  new 
genomic techniques (NGTs), are key to accelerating the development of climate-change 
resilient, resource-saving, nutritious and high-yielding varieties, and thereby contribute to 
the EU’s food security and food sovereignty. NGTs can also yield microorganisms with 
positive  impact  on  agricultural  production,  e.g.  by  reducing  the  need  for  synthetic 
fertilisers. 

To reap the benefits of these innovations, an enabling regulatory framework in the EU is 
needed.  This  also  ensures  a  level-playing  field  with  an  increasing  number  of  third 
countries, which are in the process of adapting their legislation or have done so already. 
It  is  therefore  particularly  important  to  complete  the  legislative  procedure  for  the 
Commission’s NGT proposal and to implement  the legislation fast. The Commission is 
committed  to  working  in  close  cooperation  with  the  Council  and  the  European 
Parliament to find a forward-looking compromise in the near future. 

Strengthen knowledge and innovation systems in agriculture and support for advice  

37   Barabanova, Y. and Krzysztofowicz, M., Digital Transition: Long-term Implications for EU Farmers and Rural 

Communities, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2023, doi:10.2760/286916, JRC134571. 

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New  knowledge  and  innovations  stemming  from  the  EU  R&I  programmes  must  be 
widely accessible and used in practice. The Member States need to put substantial efforts 
into  strengthening  Agricultural  Knowledge  and  Innovation  Systems  (AKIS)  and 
match  resources  with  the  broader  range  of  needs  faced  by  the  sector,  in  particular  to 
better  support  farmers  in  their  transition  to  sustainability.  To  this  end,  the  CAP  will 
continue  to  provide  strong  support  to  implement  AKIS  strategies  with  the  AGRI 
European  Innovation  Partnership  (EIP)  as  a  cornerstone.  It  will  also  promote  further 
actions  to  strengthen  the  role  of  independent  and  competent  advisors  and  develop 
attractive training offers that respond to the need of farmers all along their professional 
life  and  are  particularly  suited  to  the  evolving  skills  demand  of  the  new  generation  of 
farmers and their career prospects. 

Addressing skills shortages and mismatches in the farming sector through anticipation 
and dedicated investment in high-quality training and advice will be key to attract a new 
generation  of  talented  farm  entrepreneurs,  and  build  a  competitive,  sustainable  and 
resilient  agriculture  and  food  system.  The  forthcoming  Union  of  Skills  will  provide  a 
new  momentum  to  drive  a  more  strategic  approach  to  inclusive  lifelong  learning  and 
skills development in agriculture and make the most of the tools at disposal to reposition 
farming as an attractive and rewarding career choice. 

5.  CONCLUSION 

This  Communication  presents  the  Commission’s  reflection  on  the  future  of  agriculture 
and  food  in  Europe.  The  European  agri-food  sector  has  many  strengths  and  is  a  leader 
when it comes to health, safety, quality, sustainability and innovation in food production. 
We must build on these strengths. But in the current geopolitical context, the Union must 
sharpen its response to the challenges farmers,  fishers, other rural actors and the agri-
food sector are facing and prepare for the future with a more assertive policy response 
in  favour  of  our  strategic  autonomy  and  food  sovereignty,  while  pursuing  its 
objectives  of  nature  protection  and  decarbonisation.  This  policy  response  is  united 
around a common vision that will frame the work of the Commission for this entire 
mandate across all policy areas that have an impact on agriculture and food. 

The  delivery  of  this  vision  cannot  rely  on  the  EU  level  alone.  It  requires  that  new 
generations  of  farmers,  agrifood  operators,  informed  consumers  and  rural  communities 
take  up  the  mantle  from  the  current  generation  as  entrepreneurs,  custodians  of  the 
countryside  and  agents  of  change.  It  requires  a  strengthened  dialogue  at  all  levels  of 
governance,  with  EU  institutions,  national,  regional  and  local  authorities,  and  with  our 
international partners. 

That  is  why  this  Communication  launches  this  dialogue  to  enrich  the  Commission’s 
reflections on the way forward around the four priority areas and their enablers. Many of 
the  topics  contained  therein  are  sensitive  and  do  not  often  find  easily  a  consensus  in 
society, in particular aspects related to food, livestock, and the future of the CAP. This is 
why further strands of work are launched to elaborate these key issues and find solutions 
in  close  engagement  with  relevant  stakeholders  and  policy  makers.  Experience  shows 
that one-size-fits-all solutions cannot be applied to such a diverse sector and the Strategic 
Dialogue has rather called for territorial and tailored response. 

The Commission invites the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic 
and  Social  Committee,  the  Committee  of  the  Regions,  the  social  partners  and  all 

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stakeholders to actively  contribute to  the development  and delivery of the initiatives in 
this Communication. 

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