Blue gold: water is one of the most precious resources for agriculture and for life. In part one of this analysis, Marie-Lise Breure-Montagne looks at the difficult transition from acceptance of risk to transfer of climate risks (beginning with drought) to insurance companies – developments which spotlight inequalities in the circumstances of farmers across Europe. […]
In a suprise move, EU Member States did not reach a qualified majority for the reapproval of glyphosate at a meeting of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (PAFF) today. So what’s next? […]
Lawmakers from the European Parliament’s agriculture committee have greenlit their opinion on the EU’s plan to slash the use and risk of pesticides in half. The agriculture committee (AGRI)’s opinion calls for pushing the target date back from 2030 to 2035, scrapping a ban on the use of pesticides in sensitive areas and block the use of the EU’s farming subsidies programme (CAP) to fund pesticide reduction ambitions. So what does this mean and what’s next? Natasha Foote and Oliver Moore report. […]
The European Commission has doubled down on its stance to renew the authorisation of the controversial herbicide glyphosate for another decade despite mixed reactions from EU lawmakers, dismissing concerns over identified scientific data gaps. […]
ARC is proud to be part of the European Action Gathering for Sustainable Food Systems, to be held in Marburg, Germany in early November. This is because, while there is a somewhat stagnant process at EU and member state levels, throughout Europe there is action on the ground, with communities coming together to improve access to healthy, affordable and ecologically produced food. Find out more about our Marburg gathering. […]
In a new CAP that largely maintains the status quo, social conditionality emerges as one of the few truly innovative elements. But is it going to be a real game-changer? This new legislative tool has the potential to improve the working conditions of millions of farm workers. But does it offer the means to achieve this goal? In this article, we will explore what can be anticipated and discuss ways to enhance its effectiveness. […]
What’s happening? A forum for people working with seeds, agrobiodiversity and food systems, in Dublin, Ireland, 26-28th October. After 15 years of cooperation among partners from various countries, the European Coordination Let’s Liberate Diversity! (ECLLD!) has recognised the importance of creating a platform to facilitate the exchange of experiences, perspectives, and insights among its members. This platform encourages local actions to promote diversity within our food systems. To achieve this, ECLLD! connects the experiences and efforts of different individuals and groups, including farmers, gardeners, researchers, and small seed companies. The annual European meetings of the Let’s Liberate Diversity! Forum (LLD) are one way to do this. Register for the forum Register for the field trips and workshops DUBLIN LLD Programme Organised by the European Coordination Let’s Liberate Diversity and hosted in different European countries on a rotating basis, these gatherings represent a vibrant convergence of knowledge and expertise. These three-day forums offer a unique opportunity for participants to come together, share ideas, and collectively explore the vital theme of cultivated diversity and dynamic seed management. […]
What levers do France and Germany have for adapting land policies to regional and local realities? After looking at regional public policies, consider the work of Terre de Liens in France and Regionalwert-AG in Germany, which are working to make farmland available for new entrants and agricultural renewal in these two major European countries. […]
Comment est-ce que la France et l’Allemagne disposent de leviers pour adapter les politiques foncières aux réalités régionales et locales ? Après les politiques publiques régionales, nous examinerons le travail de Terre de Liens en France et de Regionalwert-AG en Allemagne, œuvrant pour que des terrains agricoles soient disponibles pour les nouveaux entrants et le renouvellement agricole dans chacun de ces deux grands pays d’Europe. […]
Did the Commission breach its own laws by approving the French CAP Strategic Plan? According to Collectif Nourrir and ClientEarth, it did! After their internal request for an internal review of the approval of the plan fell short, the two organisations decided to take it to the next level, and bring the case to the Court of Justice of the European Union. So what are their arguments? And what results can be expected of the process? Let’s assess […]
Belgium is famous for beer. However, that beer is a fast brew with almost no ingredients from Belgium. – and its brewed within six weeks. Traditional Belgian beer like Lambic and Geuze needs up to three years to mature. Yes, that is a long time, but there is a good reason for slowing down a bit. Meet the folks doing just that. […]
The European Commission has proposed to renew the authorisation of the controversial herbicide glyphosate for a further 10 years meaning that, if member states give their go-ahead, its use in the EU will be allowed until 2033. Natasha Foote reports […]
How to distribute agricultural land for more resilient agriculture… without Europe-wide legislation? Policy analysis comparing access to land in France and Germany, by Marie-Lise Breure-Montagne. […]
Analyse des politiques publiques par Marie-Lise Breure Montagne, du projet RURAL RESILIENCE. […]
In Marburg, Germany, on November 6th – 8th 2023, ARC2020, Kollektiv von Morgen and the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Bäuerliche Landwirtschaft (AbL) are hosting a European Action Gathering – A rural bridge between sustainable agri and food policies in the EU. Date: November 6th (from 18:00), November 7th (all day) and November 8th (all day), 2023 Location: Technologie- & Tagungszentrum, Marburg, Germany Language: German, with interpretation into English and French For those that can’t attend in-person, we are live-streaming the presentation of the Marburg Action Plan for Future-Proof Food Systems and the panel debate on Wednesday November 8th. This will be in German only. Click here to access the livestream (in German). Why? Throughout Europe there is action to improve access to healthy, affordable and ecologically produced food. Many local food councils, solidarity farming groups, food cooperatives as well as rural and urban municipalities have established democratic, economic and social frameworks for a fair and sustainable food system. This is encouraging, especially in the face of global crises that affect, and are affected by, the food system. However, […]
Agricultural and Rural Convention