COPA-COGECA

🇪🇺🇮🇪 Ahead of the meeting of EU Heads of State and Government in Dublin, Copa-Cogeca stands firmly alongside the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) in support of its mobilisation. As negotiations on the next EU budget (MFF 2028–2034) and the future CAP enter a decisive phase under the Irish Presidency of the Council, the proposed cuts of more than 20% to the CAP budget, exceeding 30% when inflation is taken into account, would deal an unbearable blow to farmers and agricultural cooperatives across Europe. European farmers and agricultural cooperatives will remain mobilised 🍀✊

🗳️Vote in Working Party Cotton elected new Chair Mr. Martinez ( @CoopsAgroES 🇪🇸). The EU cotton sector is Europe's largest producer of natural fibres, supporting farmers, jobs and economic activity in rural areas while meeting high sustainability standards. ☁️"In a context of rising costs, climate challenges and increasing market uncertainty, the CMO reform offers a valuable opportunity to strengthen sectoral organisation, improve the competitiveness of cotton producers and secure a sustainable future for the sector."

🗳️@COPACOGECA's Working Party on Flax & Hemp had elections. Congratulations to Chair Bertrand Gomart (@FNSEA 🇫🇷) and Vice-Chair Jacopo Paolini, (@Confagricoltura 🇮🇹). Flax and hemp are among Europe's most sustainable and versatile crops, supplying sectors as diverse as textiles, construction, furniture, food and feed. 🗨️"In the face of climate volatility and growing production challenges, we must ensure that farmers have the tools to remain competitive. The ongoing CMO reform will be key to preserving coupled support for flax and industrial hemp, strengthening investment in research and innovation, and supporting adaptation to climate change. We also see a clear need to promote a whole-plant approach for hemp, enabling the full and sustainable valorisation of all legally cultivated plant parts and supporting the continued growth of the sector."

Copa-Cogeca and IFA meet 🇮🇪 Prime Minister, Taoiseach @MichealMartinTD and urge @Ireland2026eu to stand firm on the defence of CAP and its budget at a critical stage in negotiations. As EU leaders move closer to defining a common landing zone for the 2028–2034 MFF, the farming organisations stressed that their fundamental concerns remain unresolved. A proposed cut of more than 20% to the CAP budget, exceeding 30% when inflation is taken into account, combined with the erosion of the policy's common character, would be simply unbearable for many farms and agricultural cooperatives across the EU. Beyond its consequences for the sector, such a decision would represent a major setback for the European project and a historic strategic mistake at a time when other major global powers are moving in precisely the opposite direction, strengthening their strategic sectors rather than weakening them. European farming organisations remain fully mobilised and will continue to make their voices heard until a final agreement is reached, ensuring that the message conveyed to the Taoiseach today is also brought to the attention of EU Heads of State and Government at the upcoming European Council meetings. Read Full Statement >>>>> copa-cogeca.eu/press-release…

📄 Copa-Cogeca has sent a letter to the ambassadors of COREPER I ahead of today's Energy Council, calling for European agriculture and agri-food cooperatives to be recognised as a strategic sector in the EU's response to energy supply constraints and rising fuel prices. Our letter calls for decisive European action on six priorities: 1️⃣ Protect essential agricultural production and agri-food processing. Energy-saving measures and emergency allocations must take account of seasonal production cycles and food safety requirements. 2️⃣ Address rising energy and diesel costs through coordinated EU action. Measures must be targeted, temporary and proportionate, avoiding fragmented national responses that could distort the Single Market. 3️⃣ Unlock the potential of European biofuels. Provide regulatory flexibility for sustainable EU-produced biofuels, strengthen the Union Database to prevent fraud, and establish workable criteria for intercrops and degraded land. 4️⃣ Modernise rural electricity grids. Rural areas cannot drive the energy transition while facing inadequate grid capacity and unnecessary permitting barriers. 5️⃣ Develop a European strategy for renewable energy on farms. Support biogas, biomethane, small-scale anaerobic digestion and energy storage, while recognising digestate as a valuable resource rather than a regulatory burden. 6️⃣ Support combined heat and power systems on farms, in cooperatives and across agri-food processing facilities. ⚡️Farmers and agricultural cooperatives are not just energy consumers. They are also producers of renewable electricity, biogas, biomethane and biofuels. Recognising agriculture as both a pillar of food security and a driver of Europe's energy transition is essential to safeguarding the sector's competitiveness and resilience.

Last night, EU Agriculture Ministers, under the leadership of the Irish Presidency, reached a partial agreement on the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Copa and Cogeca acknowledge the progress made on several technical points of contention but warn that the most fundamental questions concerning the future of European agriculture remain unanswered. An agreement on the CAP without clarity on its financing, its common character and its implementation cannot provide the certainty that European farmers and agricultural cooperatives urgently need. Anywhere but in Brussels, such a situation would be considered utterly absurd, as we are clearly putting the cart before the horse. This uncertainty illustrates the consequences of the European Commission’s decision to integrate the CAP into a broader financial framework, undermining its visibility and predictability, while the current budget scenario points to cuts of more than 20% in the majority of EU Member States. Following the adoption of the Stockholm Declaration on 15 October, Copa and Cogeca members remain fully mobilised. At a time when European agriculture is facing a potentially historic turning point, and against such a challenging geopolitical backdrop, we simply cannot afford to add such a massive regulatory and political risk to the equation. As the European Parliament advances its own position, MEPs now have a crucial responsibility to address the shortcomings of the Commission's proposals. The trilogues will need to deliver substantial corrections, not simply adjustments at the margins. 🔗Read full Press Release >>>>> copa-cogeca.eu/press-release…

📍 Copa and Cogeca Presidents are in Luxembourg today for the #AGRIFISH Council meeting, where Ministers are discussing the Council’s partial general approach on the CAP, which could be adopted by the end of the day. With rising costs continuing to put pressure on farmers and agricultural cooperatives, this morning’s discussions provided another opportunity to stress that any agreement on the future #CAP must preserve it as a standalone EU policy, backed by a dedicated, inflation-adjusted budget. Our Presidents also emphasised the importance of a fair food supply chain that properly remunerates farmers and highlighted the sector’s high expectations for the revision of the #UTP Directive. Against the backdrop of geopolitical developments in the Middle East, which have driven sharp increases in energy, fuel and fertiliser costs, @masgiansanti and @LennartN_LRF called for exceptional, temporary support through the #EAFRD. They also reiterated the need for fair trade, warning of the cumulative impact of ongoing trade negotiations. The Presidents further stressed the importance of delivering on the simplification agenda, including through a new Environmental Omnibus following the ongoing “stress test”, while investing in Europe's resilience, particularly in areas such as water management. 💧 They also met with the new Cypriot Minister to continue the constructive dialogue established during the Cypriot Presidency. 🔜 The coming months will be decisive for European agriculture.

📌Launched today at the Global Bioeconomy Summit in Dublin, the Bio-based Europe Alliance offers an opportunity to turn Europe’s bioeconomy ambitions into real market opportunities. Copa and Cogeca will join as observers, with the aim of connecting industrial demand with sustainable agricultural and forestry production, while ensuring primary producers receive a fair share of the value created. 🔗Read full Statement >>>>> copa-cogeca.eu/press-release…

Copa-Cogeca is present at the Global Bioeconomy Summit in Dublin, with Marko Mäki-Hakola, Chair of the WP on forestry 🌲🌳 We gathered with @EUBioeconomy (EUBA) members to promote together our latest brochure containing concrete examples on bioeconomy in practice #GBS2026

🗳️The Chairmanship of the Working Party Potatoes just had elections today. Congratulations to Chair @geoffroydevry (@FNSEA 🇫🇷) and Vice-Chairs Augusto Di Silvio (@CooperativeITA 🇮🇹), Jacob Hansen (DAFC 🇩🇰) 🥔The potato sector is facing an unprecedented crisis. The Working Group will continue to bring expertise and identify practical solutions to strengthen resilience, sustainability and efficiency. New Chairmanship will work to safeguard farm profitability, future investments and the long-term attractiveness of potato production.