Opinion of the European Committee of the Regions – Enhancing the EU’s regional agricultural competitiveness: A comprehensive strategy integrating equitable trade conditions and phytosanitary security
Date: 2025-04-03
Institutions: Commission for Natural Resources, European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: EU strategy, agricultural situation, blockchain, competitiveness, fair trade, farming sector, innovation, market access, regional economy, sustainable agriculture








C_202503172EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/3172


20.6.2025






Opinion of the European Committee of the Regions – Enhancing the EU’s regional agricultural competitiveness: A comprehensive strategy integrating equitable trade conditions and phytosanitary security
(C/2025/3172)








Rapporteur
: Carlos MAZÓN GUIXOT (ES/EPP), President of the Regional Government of Valencia





POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

Strategic Agenda 2024-2029









1.


welcomes the adoption of the Strategic Agenda 2024-2029 by the Council of the EU, as well as the report on the high-level stakeholder dialogue on the future of agriculture and believes that it is strategically important for the EU to make one of its objectives improving the competitiveness and profitability of the EU’s agricultural sector, as well as boosting its sustainability and resilience;












2.


echoes the objectives of the Strategic Agenda 2024-2029 and of the strategic dialogue relating to water, increasingly under stress from climate change and increasing demands; stresses the importance of the regional and local dimension in the production-related aspects of the primary sector and water resilience, with a view to ensuring the continuity and security of food production across the EU;












3.


welcomes the fact that ensuring the well-being of rural communities and strengthening the position of farmers in the food supply chain are considered in the objectives of the Strategic Agenda 2024-2029, but stresses the key importance of the regional and local dimension of these objectives; reiterates, however, the proposals set out in the opinion on The future of the common agricultural policy underlining that these objectives can only be achieved with stronger multilevel governance and increased shared management and decentralisation of the policy as a result of which an area-specific approach becomes possible;












4.


stresses the importance of ensuring that rural development policies support both the sustainable use of land and the competitiveness of the agricultural sector, fostering technological innovation, the modernisation of farming practices and flexibility in adopting sustainable approaches. Emphasises the need to promote the efficient use of agricultural inputs, including fertilisers and plant protection products, in order to improve productivity, reduce the environmental impact, promote biodiversity and cut greenhouse gas emissions. Points out that promoting a combination of sustainable conventional and ecological approaches, while respecting the diversity of farming practices in different Member States, will be key to ensuring the long-term competitiveness and sustainability of the sector; emphasises that water sustains human health, food production, ecosystems, and climate regulation, yet it is threatened by numerous challenges, including chemicals from diverse origins, plastic pollution, etc. and the profound effects of climate change; underlines that the way water is currently managed must be reviewed in order to ensure water resilience including for agriculture as well as climate change mitigation and prevention of natural disasters;












5.


welcomes the ‘Political Guidelines for the next European Commission 2024-2029’ which emphasise the need to improve water security in Europe and to swiftly present the long-awaited ‘European water resilience strategy’ to ensure that sources are sustainably managed, scarcity is addressed – taking into account the specific features of local agriculture, especially the needs of southern Europe, and that the competitive innovative edge of Europe’s water industry is enhanced with the necessary promotion of increased investment in water-efficient water infrastructure in terms of water savings and energy consumption; urges the Commission to effectively engage with local and regional authorities on the way towards an ambitious and holistic European Water Strategy to mainstream water into all EU policies;












6.


notes with concern, however, that the aforementioned initiatives to close skills and labour gaps overlook the primary sector’s crucial needs for modernisation and greening and points in this context to the more detailed recommendations of the strategic dialogue report, as well as to the need to ensure the maintenance of the highest labour standards;












7.


reiterates its concern already expressed in successive opinions of this Committee (1) – about the clear negative impact which the less than full compliance with trade agreements and insufficient checks on goods entering the single market from third countries has – on the primary sectors of regional economies and which leads to an uneven playing field between different regions of the EU;












8.


agrees that the EU’s trade policy must be ambitious, robust, open and sustainable, while at the same time opening up third country markets to EU companies, as proposed under the Strategic Agenda 2024-2029; reiterates, however, the views and proposals set out in the opinion on the Implementation of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs): the regional and local perspective (2), which states that ‘there are some economic sectors, along with the regions hosting them, which are likely to be negatively affected’ by the implementation of these agreements, and proposes that a new trade policy be developed to prevent unfair competition from imported products vis-à-vis European products, particularly in the agricultural sector; European agricultural products should not be used as bargaining chips to facilitate the export of non agricultural products from the EU; also points out that carrying out territorial impact assessments in the EU is key to identifying and quantifying potential asymmetric impacts of such trade agreements at an early stage; points in this context to the detailed recommendations contained in the strategic dialogue report, including the insistence on the need for better coordination to ensure coherence between all the EU’s objectives in international trade negotiations and for impact assessments to contain concrete information on the impact of proposed agreements on agricultural producers, the environment, health, labour, animal welfare, the supply chain business and consumers in both EU and partner countries (3);












9.


calls on the EU institutions to take all necessary steps to prevent non-EU countries from taking action contrary to World Trade Organisation rules to make imports of products from the EU more difficult, as is the case with imports of black olives into the United States;












10.


draws attention to the potential impact of possible US tariffs on agricultural products – including wines and spirits, pasta, dairy products and olive oil – on EU regions; calls for firm action against unjustified barriers to free and fair trade in order to protect European businesses, workers and consumers from unjustified tariffs;





Need for a comprehensive strategy to boost the EU’s regional agricultural competitiveness









11.


reaffirms the importance of the European agri-food sector as a pillar of the EU’s strategic food sufficiency and a vital driver of job creation and sustainable development in rural areas, with particular emphasis on those located in areas with natural geographical constraints, as well as in island regions;












12.


points out that healthy soil, clean water and functioning eco-systems are critical factors for ensuring long-term competitiveness in agriculture. The climate crisis, biodiversity loss and the degradation of ecosystems threaten farmers’ livelihoods and the agricultural sector as a whole, leading to reduced productivity and resilience. If these issues are not addressed, the viability of farming practices will be compromised, resulting in significant losses for both producers and consumers;












13.


notes that this sector has demonstrated great resilience throughout the various crises experienced recently, and has great potential to make an essential contribution to the green transition, while at the same time withstanding challenges such as climate change, water stress and a competitive and asymmetric global market;












14.


considers that, in recent years, the EU has sought to respond to the profound changes that have taken place in the global trade landscape and have cast a light on the impact of certain policies and practices on EU regional ecosystems;












15.


welcomes the fact that the EU has put a strong emphasis on its need to defend itself against unfair trade practices by means of strengthened defence instruments, increased monitoring of foreign direct investment and wider access to public procurement markets abroad; notes with concern, however, that new trade agreements should better reflect the need to protect the primary sector and that such defence instruments should be strengthened in order to protect primary sectors;












16.


nevertheless, considers it necessary for EU strategies to be urgently coordinated, adapted and aligned in order to effectively address the common economic problems affecting both the primary sector and other sectors. These problems include geopolitical changes, market volatility, the impact of climate change, uncertainty in international trade and demographic fluctuations. It is vital for the EU to maintain and deepen a strategic vision, anticipating and responding to these dynamics with flexible and adaptable policies that ensure the long-term resilience and competitiveness of Europe’s agricultural regions;












17.


points out that, since at least 2019, the rotating presidencies of the Council and the other European institutions have advocated prioritising, protecting and promoting agricultural interests in international trade; it has been proposed to boost innovation and the modernisation of the primary sector and to review and strengthen legislation on phytosanitary security. However, the results have had uneven impacts at regional and local level across the EU and have not yielded measures favouring innovation and modernisation. The Committee of the Regions believes that these areas can only be addressed effectively and efficiently within the framework of a comprehensive European strategy that takes into account agricultural competitiveness and has a stronger regional dimension and impact;












18.


welcomes the fact that Eurobarometer data (4) from June 2024 indicate that, from a consumer perspective, 62 % of Europeans claim to benefit from international trade, with reasons for this including access to a wider choice for consumers and more affordable products; however, regrets and voices concern about the lack of published sectoral Eurobarometer surveys focusing on the perceptions of EU agri-food producers with regard to EU trade policy;












19.


notes with concern the tremendous impact of climate change on EU regional economies and agricultural production, in particular with regard to water stress extremes caused by the absence or excess of rainfall and consequent water shortages; believes that consideration should be given to implementing programmes, practices and initiatives at European level to facilitate interaction between surplus and deficit basins, in order to compensate for these imbalances; welcomes the adoption of European programmes promoting advanced irrigation techniques, water re-use, the fight against water pollution and the implementation of more sustainable water resource management practices at regional and local level that focus on reducing demand for water and preserving the integrity of freshwater ecosystems while safeguarding agricultural productivity and avoiding unnecessary restrictions on the use of water resources. Promoting water-saving technologies and innovative solutions that optimise water management and foster water resilience, together with infrastructure modernisation, will be key to ensuring a balance between sustainability and competitiveness in the agricultural sector, in particular in regions of southern Europe and some outermost regions particularly affected by water scarcity;












20.


reiterates that disruptions to natural water cycles drive floods, droughts, ecosystem loss and soil degradation, intensifying competition for scarce resources. Therefore, restoring natural water cycles and ecosystems is essential to boost water retention, soil health and biodiversity resilience, ultimately supporting long-term competitiveness in agriculture;












21.


reiterates, as stated in the opinion on EU Climate Diplomacy (5), that the EU ‘must recognise the significance of aligning trade policies with its ambitious climate objectives and climate diplomacy’, and stresses the need to include a specific approach to international agricultural trade in global climate negotiations;












22.


when programmes are implemented in the European Union to combat water stress through water saving policies, good use of existing water resources and the possibility of sharing water resources within the framework of interregional collaboration policies and reusing treated water, the specific characteristics and peculiarities of island regions must be taken into account, along with other elements that secure water supply to sustain agricultural activities;












23.


calls on the European Commission and the Member States to strengthen partnerships and cooperation in the agriculture sector with the Mediterranean countries of the Southern Neighbourhood, with the aim of improving the exchange of information and data, increasing participation in joint research programmes, and stepping up the sharing of regional and local best practices and the deployment of innovative technological solutions to mitigate the consequences of water scarcity;












24.


stresses the importance of promoting crop and market diversification in a coordinated way within the EU’s agricultural, trade and sustainability strategies. Diversification not only helps mitigate economic and climate risks, but also increases the resilience of farms and improves their ability to adapt to changes in global market demand, particularly in the outermost regions through the incorporation of high value-added crops that are resilient to local conditions. Stresses, furthermore, the importance of ensuring fair support for all farms but always taking into consideration their size, and promoting equal access to resources and opportunities for modernisation and innovation, so that both small and large farms can contribute to the sustainable development of the sector, and ensuring that the so-called small and medium-sized ones are susceptible to more support; it also stresses the importance of promoting other activities on farms in order to diversify sources of income, e.g. agri-food tourism, nature credits;












25.


considers it important to roll out EU-level information and awareness-raising initiatives and campaigns to encourage our farmers to adopt farming methods that promote an efficient and more sustainable use of water, supporting smart irrigation technologies and water efficiency, especially in areas of low water availability such as southern Europe and some outermost regions;












26.


considers that part of the low competitiveness of some agricultural products and the decline in the number of farmers are due to regulation and an excessive administrative burden in some cases in the EU. We call for the rules and requirements to be simplified;












27.


reiterates that, for EU products to compete on an equal footing with products from outside the EU, consumers must have detailed information on the provenance and quality of products, and therefore appropriate labelling that specifies the origin and quality of products, as well as promoting information and awareness-raising initiatives and campaigns at European level aimed at the public, is essential;












28.


notes that our agriculture is suffering the consequences of climate change (droughts, pests, high temperatures, etc.). Measures to promote adaptation to climate change should therefore be a priority, with an emphasis on organic farming, agroecology, and circular economy principles that reduce waste and promote local supply chains; reiterates the need to regulate new genomic techniques taking into account the strict observance of the precautionary principle and to prioritise the availability of water resources, ensuring sustainable irrigation practices and efficient water use;












29.


calls for more measures to make the primary sector more flexible and thus to be more competitive with products from outside the EU. Concentrating on supply management and common market organisation should help the EU to ensure prices and conditions that are in line with the market and ensure the livelihood of EU farmers, increasing the resilience of European farms;












30.


we believe that in order to be more competitive, we need to apply and use innovative technologies, promote organic farming practices, and have an entrepreneurial culture, which is easier to achieve with new farmers who are better trained and show more initiative. The policy of generational renewal and the increased participation of women, with a focus on the profitability of these farms, should be prioritised;





Ensuring fair and equitable trade and market access









31.


calls for a new generation of international trade agreements in order to prevent European products being subject to unfair competition from imported products. Mirror clauses could be introduced and rigorously enforced to ensure fair conditions when accessing agricultural markets;












32.


considers it necessary to promote the recovery of land that has been abandoned or underused and to use it for local food production in order to boost the small-scale economy, maintain population levels in rural areas and prevent forest fires. Support for selling products locally is essential, as it improves resilience in local areas and reduces the carbon footprint of the activity, thereby helping to mitigate climate change;












33.


urges the European Commission to recognise, in line with Article 349 TFEU, the specific agricultural characteristics and needs of the EU’s outermost regions, which require special treatment to boost their competitiveness, to adapt to the effects of climate change, to protect their production under international trade agreements and to adapt plant protection regulations to the particular features and scale of their production;












34.


recommends developing, strengthening and facilitating greater access to existing and future trade defence mechanisms in order to protect the agricultural sector in EU regions from unfair trading practices, thus ensuring that these mechanisms are not implemented with scant regard for regions;












35.


reiterates its call for the EU to use its influence as the world’s largest food importing and exporting market to change the international agricultural trade rules introduced in 1994 (WTO) in order to foster greater fairness, reciprocity and solidarity in trade relations, in line with the 2030 Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals; and with the recommendations from the strategic dialogue which also stress that the EU should ensure the maintenance of high social, environmental and sustainability standards;












36.


also stresses how important it is for the EU to promote fair and equitable trade practices, favouring sustainable agricultural development both in the EU and in third countries. The EU must ensure, through impact assessments of trade agreements, that its trade policies respect reciprocity, without creating market distortions that could harm local economies, thus contributing to balanced trade that stimulates sustainable growth and global food security;












37.


understands that importing food and raw materials is necessary, but also considers it vital to ensure that these are subject to the same food production, food safety conditions, as well as environmental and labour standards, as the same food and raw materials being produced in the EU;












38.


believes that including mirror clauses in EU trade agreements with third countries is the only way to ensure that imported products meet the same environmental, phytosanitary and safety standards as those required of products produced in the EU and to prevent the entry of diseases and pests not present in EU agriculture;












39.


calls, therefore, on the European Commission to establish mirror clauses in all trade agreements in force as well as in those being revised or that will be revised in the future, in order to ensure fair competition and to benefit EU farmers, workers, businesses, citizens, sustainability and animal welfare;












40.


recommends stepping up and improving the effectiveness of the enforcement of binding sustainability commitments and those relating to labour conditions in the production sector in trade agreements;












41.


calls for strict compliance with the quotas and fixed ceilings set out in EU trade agreements to be monitored and promoted, ensuring that European producers can access international markets in a fair and equitable manner, and for the necessary transparency to be established to ensure that all EU operators are aware of this information and can incorporate it into their market strategies; at the same time underlines the EU’s responsibility to ensure its agricultural policies and trade agreements do not undermine the markets of third countries, especially in the Global South;












42.


considers it essential to develop a regulatory framework focusing on the agri-food chain that facilitates preventive trade defence mechanisms, strengthens protection against unfair practices and ensures compliance with established quotas and ceilings;












43.


recommends boosting and encouraging collaboration between all parties in the supply chain for imported products, in order to address the challenges comprehensively and at multiple levels, and to seize the opportunities afforded by international agricultural trade;












44.


calls on the Commission to monitor and enforce compliance with the animal welfare standards laid down in trade agreements and agricultural practices, ensuring that animals are respected and protected at all stages in the production of imported products;












45.


highlights the need to closely monitor trends in land concentration, access to land, land abandonment in less productive areas, which contribute to the decrease of small and medium-sized farms and biodiversity loss; calls for fair working conditions for European farmers and support to ensure generational renewal, which are crucial for maintaining the stability and competitiveness of European agriculture (6);





Strengthening phytosanitary checks and promoting innovation









46.


recommends, given the context of climate change and the associated chances of new harmful organisms becoming established, developing initiatives to promote the more effective implementation, at regional and local level, of measures to improve the detection and prevention of diseases and pests originating from external agricultural production;












47.


the European Commission should strive to boost and strengthen local trade, which not only contributes to the economic development of communities but also helps to preserve the environment and create closer links between producers and consumers. Sustainable local trade plays a key role in promoting a more resilient economy and protecting the environment. By focusing on producing and selling goods and services locally, this approach helps to reduce the environmental footprint associated with transport and largescale production;












48.


believes that it would be necessary for the EU to require for imported agricultural products the non-presence of those active substances not authorised in the EU by means of horizontal limits and, if appropriate, to promote cooperation at international level to address the problem of global checks on unauthorised active substances in countries importing such products;












49.


recognises the commitment of agricultural producers across the EU’s regions to adopt more environmentally sustainable and regenerative forms of production, and considers that European research programmes should support efforts to find efficient, sustainable, resilient, and affordable alternatives to less environmentally friendly production methods, and increase knowledge and awareness of integrated pest management and other available alternative techniques;












50.


proposes that the European Commission urgently revise and adjust phytosanitary regulations in order to properly recognise sensitive small mini-crops and minority crops in the EU and promote specific phytosanitary contingency plans for these crops, including pest diagnosis and prevention centres. This recognition should allow producers to use specific products on an ad hoc and temporary basis to protect these crops from pests and diseases, thus ensuring their economic viability and competitiveness on the market as well as the transition to sustainable plant protection;












51.


believes that cooperation between regions and between Member States on phytosanitary research and scientific knowledge should be encouraged and stepped up, in order to effectively address the issue of checks and improve the prevention of external risks to agriculture within the EU;












52.


considers it essential to urgently develop Agriculture 4.0, which strengthens not only the sustainability, resilience and intelligence of agricultural production but also the connectivity of rural territories and the digital skills of their inhabitants through training and digitalisation programmes, and responds to the climate, environmental, commercial and competitive challenges that EU regional agriculture will have to face in the coming years;












53.


calls for the development of precision farming initiatives to simplify, disseminate and facilitate the application, at regional and local level, of new technologies and tools that enable real-time data analysis, with a view to boosting informed decision-making, resource optimisation, pattern prediction and the automation of agricultural processes with due consideration for the protection of sensitive data;





Advancing the application of blockchain technology and other innovative technologies to promote the competitiveness of European regional agriculture









54.


believes that the EU should make further progress in implementing blockchain technology, in order to strengthen the protection of European consumers, the security of the single market and transparency in the imported food supply chain, as well as to promote the sustainability of international trade, with particular emphasis on facilitating access to these technologies for smallholders;












55.


proposes that European platforms be set up using blockchain technology to certify and verify the traceability of agricultural and food products, whether produced in the EU or in third countries, from their origin to the final consumer, promoting access to these platforms for small and medium-sized farms;












56.


believes that it would be beneficial to use blockchain technology to certify and audit sustainable and animal welfare practices in food production in the EU and in third countries, as well as to monitor the use of appropriate pesticides and active materials not allowed in the EU, the sustainable management of water and the living conditions of animals, ensuring compliance with EU environmental and welfare standards;












57.


suggests promoting certification programmes for sustainable agricultural practices in third countries using blockchain technology to ensure that imported products comply with EU standards in food safety, sustainability and environmental liability;












58.


considers it essential to provide training for regional and local stakeholders and to make it easier for them to apply this training in their daily activities; also considers it essential to harmonise and update training in the sustainable use of phytosanitary products for the various people who use them, with an emphasis on potential hazards, risks and impact on human health and the environment;












59.


takes the view that it would be useful for the EU to propose and promote the development of a global platform, in collaboration with international organisations and exporting countries; this platform would enable all actors in the supply chain to record and verify data on the production and processing of food products using this technology;












60.


considers it important to boost research into the marketing of agricultural and livestock products, analysing the structure of production costs in the sector, the viability of new products and the development of new markets, in order to identify new opportunities and improve the competitiveness and profitability of the European agri-food sector;












61.


recommends that the EU encourage the adoption of other innovative and sustainable technologies that improve the profitability and competitiveness of agricultural production, while contributing to the efficient use of natural resources, such as agrivoltaic production, provided these technologies do not compete with food production or further destabilise the already fragile agri-ecosystems;












62.


stresses the urgent need to further expand renewable energy in agriculture to enhance sustainable competitiveness through incentives for farmers, lower energy costs for farmers, drive eco-friendly practices, and reduce carbon emissions, thus contributing to the greening of the sector. The adoption of renewable energy also strengthens the competitiveness of rural areas by creating new economic opportunities and fostering long-term resilience;












63.


calls for the promotion and accessibility of existing and future efficient lighting technologies, such as the use of LED and UV lights, in EU agricultural facilities. Not only can these technologies significantly reduce energy costs, they can also improve productivity and plant health, contributing to more sustainable and competitive agriculture. Nevertheless, it is essential to mitigate the risk of light pollution.






Brussels, 3 April 2025.


The President


of the European Committee of the Regions

Kata TÜTTŐ
               





(1)  See, for example, the following opinions: 
From farm to fork — the local and regional dimension, Guido Milana (IT/PES), (2021/C 37/04);

Trade policy review, Willy Borsus (BE/Renew Europe), (2021/C 175/04); 
Future EU State aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors and in rural areas (2022/C 301/10); 
The Future of the Common Agricultural Policy, Isilda Gomes (PT/PES) and Piotr Całbecki (PL/EPP), NAT-VII/042.

(2)  
            Opinion of the European Committee of the Regions – Implementation of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs): the regional and local perspective (OJ C 324, 1.10.2020, p. 21).

(3)  
            Report on the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of Agriculture, p. 48.

(4)  
            https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/s2993_100_3_sp544_eng?locale=en.

(5)  
            Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on EU Climate Diplomacy (own-initiative opinion) (OJ C, C/2024/1575, 5.3.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/1575/oj).

(6)  The CoR (2024), The Future of the Common Agricultural Policy.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/3172/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)