Copa and Cogeca are the united voice of farmers and agri-cooperatives in the EU. Together, we ensure that EU agriculture is sustainable, innovative and competitive, while guaranteeing food security for 500 million people throughout Europe.
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Copa and Cogeca members met in Brussels on 23–24 April at a critical time for European agriculture. Following an in-depth exchange on rising input prices due to the war in Iran, European farming leaders agreed on the positions that will be defended by Copa and Cogeca on the future European budget and the CAP, set out in three framework documents. These can be found in the Publications section of our website.
Agriculture is one of the most integrated sectors at European level and lies at the heart of many European institution initiatives. Copa and Cogeca organise themselves so as to respond to the challenges and questions posed by European decision-makers, allowing European farmers and cooperatives to put forward their views and proposals concerning a multitude of subjects that directly affect farmers no matter what agricultural activity they are involved in. In the following 12 categories, you will find our positions on key issues affecting the future of European agriculture.
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The coming decade is pivotal for EU agriculture. Many challenges lie ahead. We will face difficult debates on generation renewal, low farm income, market volatility and climate change. As European farmers and cooperatives, we are aware of and ready to navigate these difficult issues and to weather the changes in store. We seek to deliver the type of agriculture that our citizens expect and demand: agriculture that provides a high level of food security and high standards of quality, welfare, sustainability and environmental protection. This is our commitment to Europe! In return, we look to Europe’s leaders to deliver the policy framework that will feed our future.
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From agriculture, livestock, forest, forest-based industries and feed to vegetable oil and protein meal, many sectors call on EU institutions and Member States to take the necessary time to address their persistent concerns over the EU Deforestation Regulation. While well-intentioned, the EUDR risks undermining the competitiveness, resilience and autonomy of important European sectors if its implementation is not carefully reviewed and simplified.
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At the Expert Group on Carbon Removals on 23 April, the European Commission presented advancements in developing certification methodologies for carbon farming under Regulation (EU) 2024/3012. As the delegated act nears finalisation, with legislative approval expected this summer, Copa and Cogeca acknowledge several improvements that better reflect with the operational realities of farmers, forest managers and agri-cooperatives.
Copa and Cogeca leaders met in Brussels over the past two days at a critical time for European agriculture. Following exchanges with the European Commission, DG AGRI Director-General Pierre Bascou, and the President of the American Farm Bureau, Zippy Duvall, European farming organisations took key decisions on major issues, from the mounting pressures hitting the sector to the future of the Common Agricultural Policy.
Rice-producing countries around the world are raising concerns over increasing pressure on their domestic sectors, highlighting a growing global challenge that is also significantly affecting Europe. There is therefore an urgent need for the European Union to move forward with safeguard mechanisms to ensure the survival of a historic sector in several Member States.
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Copa and Cogeca welcome the Council of the European Union’s adoption of the Trilogue consensus on NGTs Regulation. At Council of the European Union level, this marks the conclusion of over a decade of debate, confirming a science-based and proportionate approach that aligns with the European Commission's proposal. Copa and Cogeca now urge the European Parliament to swiftly endorse the Trilogue agreement, to ensure timely entry into force. Keeping in mind that the development of new plant varieties typically takes 8 to 10 years, it is essential to provide regulatory certainty in order to deliver innovation and tangible benefits to farmers without delay.
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With concrete proposals, COPA COGECA,CEPF,ELO, FECOF, Union of European Foresters and Union of Foresters of Southern Europe call for:
🌳Allowing sufficient time for implementation, carefully considering start of the entry into application, combined with further targeted simplification in the Regulation.
🌲Ensuring proportionality and simplification for micro and small operators, for them to not be required to submit the simplified declaration and that Member States will ensure to link their national systems and enhancing their interoperability with the EUDR information system.
🪵Extending the simplified regime to all primary producers, irrespective of size, where existing EU and national databases and legislation already provide a solid basis for traceability.
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As the work in the European Parliament on Horizon Europe 2028-2034 progresses, a coalition of more than 20 organisations dedicated to advancing innovation in Europe’s agriculture and bioeconomy sectors published a joint statement, with a simple and key message to MEPs: Maintain Agriculture and Bioeconomy as priorities for Research and Innovation contributing to Europe’s food security, sustainability and growth across the EU.
The early morning announcement of the conclusion of the EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement in Canberra by European Commission President von der Leyen and Australian Prime Minister Albanese raises multiple and strong concerns for European agriculture, which is clearly and once again the bargaining chip of the EU strategy to secure broader trade and political objectives. A vision that responds to the emergencies of the moment, but whose medium-term consequences will be unsustainable for many sensitive farming sectors.
As discussions intensify around the possible conclusion of the EU–Australia Free Trade Agreement, serious concerns remain regarding the balance and fairness of the outcome - particularly on the agriculture chapter.
European rice producers and the wider supply chain are raising serious concerns about the growing imbalance affecting the sector. European rice farming has entered a phase of serious crisis. Recent market developments highlight increasing pressure on European rice farming, driven by rising production costs, strict regulatory requirements and a significant increase in imports entering the EU market.
Ahead of the long-awaited Fertiliser Action Plan, Copa and Cogeca have released a comprehensive position paper outlining concrete EU-level measures to address the fertiliser crisis and ensure long-term market stability. The sector’s message is clear: the EU has the tools to act, and decisive measures are urgently needed to safeguard farm viability and Europe’s food security in an increasingly turbulent geopolitical context.
Copa and Cogeca have today published a new position paper on the valorisation of wool — a natural material with numerous valuable qualities. The organisations highlight that wool is increasingly treated as a burden, despite clear opportunities for its use. The paper calls on EU policymakers to remove regulatory barriers that currently prevent wool from being fully exploited as a sustainable, circular, and renewable agricultural resource.
The announcement this Friday of the European Commission’s intention to proceed with the provisional application of the EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement, despite increasingly worrying recent developments, could only be perceived by the farming sector, gathered today in Brussels at the Praesidia of Copa and Cogeca, as a disregard for the well-founded concerns we have been raising for years alongside environmental organisations, labour unions, and consumer groups regarding the impacts of this agreement.
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The latest figures from the European Commission confirm a dramatic and unprecedented collapse in EU nitrogen fertiliser imports following the entry into force of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). In January 2026, the EU imported only 179,877 tonnes of nitrogen fertilisers, compared with 1,183,728 tonnes in January 2025 . Imports have therefore fallen to less than 16% of their usual level, a harsh reality that is now knocking at the EU’s door.
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Yesterday, the European Parliament adopted the trilogue agreement on the Wine Package during its plenary session, marking a critical step towards supporting a sector facing a deep crisis. Copa and Cogeca welcome prompt action from EU institutions. The final text, as amended by the co-legislators, represents a significant improvement over the initial proposal; however, several key recommendations of the High-level Group remain unaddressed.
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Copa and Cogeca express serious concern over the renewed push to conclude the EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement and warn that the agreement, risks placing a disproportionate burden on European farmers and agri-cooperatives in key sensitive sectors.
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If Europe is committed about strengthening its strategic independence, it must start with agriculture and food. We call on EU leaders to hear the voice of the agri-food chain and take concrete action with the policies and investments needed to secure the future, resilience and competitiveness of the entire sector.
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The opinion published yesterday afternoon by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) on the future design and implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is seen by Copa and Cogeca as an institutional confirmation of the sector’s long-standing concerns, which prompted major farming protests. The auditors’ opinion, specifically requested by the European Parliament and Council is unequivocal: the Commission’s plan raises serious issues, from the erosion of the CAP’s common nature under the proposed Single Fund approach to the uncertainties and complexities it will create for farmers.
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COM INTA approved the provisional agreement for the GSP Regulation as was negotiated in trilogues in December 2025. Copa and Cogeca strongly regrets the approval of this agreement as it stands. We firmly believe that an automatic safeguard for rice is necessary to protect such a sensitive sector. Nevertheless, at their current levels the thresholds and surge quantities agreed would only allow the mechanism to activate once great damage has already been done.
For 3 years in a row, European cereal producers are in the red economically, losing up to €500 per hectare. This situation is becoming increasingly structural and should raise concern well beyond the farming sector. What is the main driver? Fertilisers and their prices.
From 18 December in Bruxelles to 20 January in Strasbourg, European farmers have shown their determination to save the future of EU farming.Farmers have been one of the backbone of European construction for more than 80 years. If you break the backbone, you can't stand anymore. Our message is clear: we will keep pushing for a strong common CAP, for fair trade deals and legal certainty. The mobilisation continues!
Relive the Inspiration!The official video highlight of the Final Ceremony of the 6th European Award for Cooperative Innovation is here! Watch as 11 European agri-cooperatives are celebrated for their groundbreaking innovative efforts. Their work embodies the spirit of "Cooperatives build a better world", the motto for the UN International Year of Cooperatives 2025 Agri-cooperatives are driving economic activity, social inclusion, and environmental transition across Europe!
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European agriculture and forestry are incredibly diverse. This diversity is our pride and our strength, and we must do everything in our collective power to protect it! This is why all models of agriculture, all types of production and all sizes of farms and cooperatives are represented within Copa and Cogeca.
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