Would you believe that the #HandsOffNature omnibus has been stopped by… administrative burden

While the police check every single paper, I’m on board along with @wwf.eu @birdlifeeurope.bsky.social & others hearing about the EU’s political U turns & why it’s driving policy in the wrong direction 🚌

And I’m not the only one thinking this

Sorry, is @ec.europa.eu actually kicking off its Agri Vision conference with a manel? Visionary…

#EUAgriVision

I’ve been in South Africa this week to learn about the impacts of the EU’s trade in banned pesticides on the ground

This is Dina, who used to work on vineyards before her lungs were too damaged to continue working, and this is her message to EU policymakers

Une agriculture compétitive, équitable et durable pour l’Europe (dans cet ordre là)

Agri Commissioner: "Eco-schemes are the proof that incentives rather than imposition is working in the CAP"

Meanwhile...

.@gerardofortuna.bsky.social puts his finger on the pulse - or lackthereof, asking if the announcement of the EU's vision marks the official death of the Farm to Fork

“The way of working has clearly changed towards those reductions that are needed," Commissioner @CHansenEU replies

"It is not acceptable that we prohibit the use of certain plant protection products inside the EU, but the food produced with that very same product is still coming in. Not only is that unfair competition, but if it is a threat to human health or bees here, it is also a threat outside the EU"

A 'closer coordination' you say, hmmmm

From the leak of the EU's vision on agriculture and food - more hints of a budgetary merge between cohesion and CAP

🚨 LEAK Commission's Vision for Agriculture & Food:

-Capping & degressivity of CAP payments
-Less conditions, more flexibility on CAP
-Generational renewal strategy
-'Level playing field' for trade (👇)
-Review animal welfare legislation & public procurement
-More emphasis on private investments

The Commission really looked at the last CAP and said, wow, that worked so well, let's do this with the entire EU budget...

The EU’s upcoming Vision for Agriculture & Food has been listed under the policy objective “competitiveness & decarbonisation” & is still set for Q1, according to Commission’s freshly published 2025 work plan

+ CAP simplification package in Q2 as per its major focus on streamlining

With this handy graphic to help visualise the year to come (to be updated as more info comes to light!)

Whether a fund or a reserve is not yet clear, but there will be "some sort of insurance policy" for farmers & rural areas to help sweeten the Mercosur deal, the Commission says. But it "doesn't believe it will ever be required because of the protections built into the agreement"

Always a pleasure to meet & talk with students about EU agri policy - insightful questions & a great exchange, with a lot of passion coming through in this next generation! Hopefully some of who choose to go on to work in EU affairs 🤞