|
Tue 29 October 2024| View online Estimated reading time: 4-5 minutes |
| | | *As a subscriber of Euractiv Pro we value your opinion and want to make sure your daily Agrifood Pro Brief is as useful and relevant for you as possible.
If you have two minutes, complete the short survey below and let us know how we’re doing. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | Audit prompts Brazil to partially halt beef exports to the EU |
| The findings of a European Commission audit on hormone residues in animal products has prompted Brazil, the world’s largest exporter of beef, to halt exports of beef meat from female cattle to the EU starting this month. The EU has banned hormones in farmed animals since 1981, applying to both EU-produced and imported meat.
For more insights, read Sofia’s story. |
| | | EU agriculture chief aims to boost trade ties with Indonesia |
| EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski - accompanied by representatives from various agri-food sectors, including dairy, spirits and wine - continues his visit to Indonesia today, after meeting with business representatives and EU ambassadors in Jakarta yesterday (28 October).
Wojciechowski also met producers of EU-protected geographical indications (GIs), including Indonesia's recently registered GI, Lada Putih Muntok - a type of Indonesian white pepper that was granted protected status in July 2024. The Commissioner then attended a networking dinner featuring GIs from both Indonesia and the EU (the menu is available here).
The EU's agriculture chief will today meet representatives of the European Business Chamber of Commerce. Tomorrow (30 October), he will hold talks with Indonesian agriculture minister Amran Sulaiman, during which he will encourage progress in ongoing negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement with Jakarta. |
| | | Imports top concern for agribusinesses and workers, says survey |
| Fear of competition from imported products is a common feature of agro-industry companies and workers, according to a survey carried out in France, Italy and Poland by Techne data consulting. As well as imports, the impact of climate change and high production costs also pose a threat to more than 80% of companies participating in the study, which was commissioned by the ECR party and will be presented today. The survey is based on samples of 500 interviews with companies and 1,000 interviews with workers in each country.
While the presence of immigrant workers is seen as an opportunity by almost 70% of companies in the three countries, more than 60% of workers (68% in France) in the sector see it as a threat. Regarding the impact of the policy on the agro-industry, the EU measures receive negative feedback, while national measures are generally considered to be better. French companies and workers are dissatisfied with both national and European policies.
For workers in the sector, low wages (particularly in Poland) and long working hours (particularly in France) are the main daily problems. "Intensive production" is generally perceived as a bad development by both companies and workers, with more than two thirds of respondents considering it a negative factor. |
| | | Member states move closer to new rules for plant seeds |
| EU countries are making progress – more than initially expected - on new rules for Plant Reproductive Material (PRM), sources familiar with the negotiations told Euractiv. Hungary doesn’t plan to reach a general agreement on the issue during its presidency but will provide a progress report at the AGRIFISH Council in December.
One of the biggest sticking points is the treatment of conservation varieties—crops adapted to local conditions that risk being replaced by modern varieties. While the European Parliament supports easing bureaucratic requirements for the access, sale, and transfer of these varieties, the Council remains divided.
Some member states, like Poland (which will hold the Presidency starting in January and will continue working on the file), are pushing for a stricter definition of conservation varieties. One proposal under discussion is to tie conservation varieties to specific regions, allowing sales only within those areas.
There’s also talk of adding geographic restrictions on seed exchanges between farmers. This would mean, for example, that a Belgian farmer couldn't share seeds with a Luxembourgish farmer across the border. The Parliament, however, had voted to exempt all plant reproductive material—not just seeds—from these requirements and even proposed allowing growers to receive payment for sharing material.
Negotiations at the Council will continue on 27 and 28 November, and the Hungarian Presidency will distribute a revised text for the second part of the regulation ahead of the talks. |
| | | Food industry calls for ‘critical to society’ status |
| The EU should recognise the food and drink processing and manufacturing industry as “critical to society”, writes FoodDrinkEurope director Dirk Jacobs in an open letter to the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
In the coming days, the food industry organisation will send open letters with recommendations to Commissioners-designate Christophe Hansen (Agriculture), Olivér Várhelyi (Health), Stéphane Séjourné (Industry), Maroš Šefčovič (Trade), Wopke Hoekstra (Climate), Jessika Roswall (Environment), Ekaterina Zaharieva (Innovation).
In the letter to von der Leyen, Jacobs calls for the launch of an EU Food Investment and Resilience Plan with a focus on sustainable competitiveness, widening the debate on financing "beyond the Common Agricultural Policy”, setting up public-private partnerships for innovation, ensuring an open and fair trade, simplifying and harmonising rules. |
| | | High cocoa, olive oil prices drive change in agri-food trade balance |
| According to the latest Commission’s report on agri-food trade EU imports increased by 11% in July 2024 compared to the previous month, but exports kept pace, resulting in an EU agri-food trade surplus of €6.1 billion for the month, a level similar to that of July 2023. Between January and July 2024, the surplus reached €39.7 bn (+€1.1 bn compared to the same period in 2023).
High prices of cocoa and olive oil contributed to the increase in the value of imports and exports. The value of shipments of cocoa products increased by €3.8 billion (+31%), mainly driven by cocoa beans. EU exports of olives and olive oil increased by €1.7 billion (+59%). Exports of coffee, tea, cocoa and spices increased by €1.2 billion (+25%) over the same period. Cocoa paste, butter and powder were the main contributors to this increase. |
| | | NGO urges EU, member states to lower mercury limits in tuna |
| A survey by the environmental NGO Bloom, published this morning, shows that more than one in two cans of tuna (57%) bought in supermarkets in five European countries (Germany, the UK, Spain, France and Italy) exceeded 0.3 mg/kg of mercury, the maximum European limit for certain species such as cod.
Although tuna is subject to a more flexible limit (1 mg/kg), “there is no health reason to justify this difference,” says the NGO, pointing the finger at industrial fishing. It is calling on the Commission and the Member States to lower the threshold. |
| | | | Warsaw - Ministry of Agriculture opposes VAT increase on horses Yesterday (28 October), the Polish Minister of Agriculture announced his opposition to an increase in VAT from 8% to 23% on the sale of breeding horses, as proposed in a bill currently being drafted by the government. Minister Czesław Siekierski described the proposal as a “threat” because it would worsen the economic situation of the sector, which he described as “on the verge of profitability”.
Berlin – NGOs urge end to stalemate on fertiliser legislation A coalition of environmental organisations has made a joint appeal to Germany’s mediation committee, which resolves disputes between the two legislative houses in the country, to reach a consensus on the stalled process of amending the fertiliser law. The proposed amendments, passed by the national parliament (Bundestag) in June and rejected by the upper house (Bundesrat) a month later, were aimed at strengthening the “polluter-pays” principle, which NGOs say is essential to reduce nitrogen surpluses in agriculture. |
| | | | | Today’s brief was brought to you by Euractiv’s Agrifood team |
| | | Today’s briefing was prepared by the Agrifood team; Angelo Di Mambro, Maria Simon Arboleas, Sofia Sanchez Manzanaro, and Hugo Struna. Share your feedback or information with us at digital@euractiv.com. |
| | | | Transfer to third parties is not authorised. If you found this newsletter valuable, please recommend a free trial. |
| | | | | | | |
|
|
|
| |
|
