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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Farmers from 25 European countries are preparing to unite in Brussels to march:
❌ Against unacceptable CAP reforms and EU budget cuts
❌ Against unfair EU trade policies
❌ Against burdensome bureaucracy
ENOUGH SMOKE AND MIRRORS WHEN OUR FARMING AND FOOD SECURITY ARE AT RISK
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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Copa and Cogeca welcome the political agreement reached yesterday evening by EU lawmakers to postpone the implementation of the EUDR and to continue the work of the Commission on simplification in 2026.
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Co-legislators have agreed on a text that constitutes an important signal to support the EU wine sector, as it faces its most important crisis. This new agreement marks a significant improvement over the initial proposal.Nevertheless, it is unfortunate that several key elements that could have strengthen the text were not retained, such as: the carry-over of unspent funds to the following financial year and the omission of cooperatives for the highest co-financing rates. In light of the outcome of this trilogue, Copa and Cogeca call for the swift approval of the agreement by both the Council and the Parliament
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Copa and Cogeca welcome the historic agreement reached between the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament on the regulation of New Genomic Techniques (NGTs). This milestone concludes more than a decade of debate and firmly upholds the science-based and proportionate approach proposed by the European Commission. Crucially, the agreement confirms that NGT 1 plants, being indistinguishable from conventionally bred plants, will be regulated in the same manner as conventional plants.
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Last night we celebrated 5 women farmers making waves in sustainable water systems at the 8th Innovation Award for Women Farmers, hosted by COPA COGECA Women’s Committee with the support of Corteva, in presence of Commissioner Hansen. Cheryl Poole (ICOS, Ireland) took home the top prize for her science-based, community-focused approach to water stewardship on her dairy farm. Alessandra Pighin (Coldiretti, Italy) received a special mention for her resource-efficient horticultural enterprise, where she saves 10 million litters of water per year through an innovative water recovery system.
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After years of discussions and months of intensive technical exchanges, the trilogue negotiations on the reform of the GSP concluded last night with a political agreement. 🇪🇺 rice sector deeply regrets that the final compromise falls far short of ensuring a level playing field for EU farmers and processors. Despite our repeated calls for an effective safeguard mechanism to protect against the surge of low-cost rice imports, which hit a record 547,000 tonnes this year, the final compromise is unfair. The new threshold of 562,000 tonnes (based on a 10-year average, with a 45% surge margin) is so high that it would only activates in such extreme situations that by the time, the damage to European rice sector will already be irreversible. This agreement is leaving European rice producers vulnerable to unfair competition and market distortion.
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The New Bioeconomy Strategy published yesterday by European Commission is a step forward, but its success depends on concrete actions that empower primary producers and place them at the heart of a sustainable, circular and competitive future. This should include: Strengthening the position of primary producers in bio-based value chains; Diversifying funding sources; Simplifying administrative procedures; Fully recognising bioenergy while developing new bio-based markets.
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Real simplification is needed to genuinely simplify the lives of millions of farmers, agri-cooperatives and hundreds of thousands of agri-food supply chain processors and operators, that are allowing us to eat everyday.Cosmetic changes are not enough to ensure the future of a competitive agri-food chain in the EU. We need better regulation and to align EU rules with the realities faced by farmers and economic operators on the ground. The time to deliver is now!
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The European Parliament has just aligned with the Council of the European Union's approach to the EUDR. This is a major step toward simplification and giving time for the sector to prepare for implementation. Both EU institutions have considered proportionality and feasibility, including simplified rules for micro-operators and better use of existing national databases.
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EU fruit vegetable producers, COPACOGECA, AREFLH and EUCOFEL warn that the proposed revision of the EU-Morocco Association Agreement and the new delegated act on origin labelling pose serious risks to European fruit and vegetable producers, EU legal principles and consumer trust
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Arable farmers across the Union are experiencing historically low, or even negative, margins, largely driven by a sharp increase in production costs since 2020. Fertilisers account for 15–30% of production costs for arable farmers and CBAM could add another 10–30% to prices, depending on unfixed factors yet. Farmers face a "scissors effect" rising costs they can’t absorb, lower yields... Our urgent call to the European Commission and Council of the European Union: Postpone CBAM for fertilisers until clear, predictable rules are in place. Offset CBAM costs for farmers to protect competitiveness and food security.
Since 2024, farmers have consistently warned the EU about CAP and budget reforms, excessive regulation that restricts agricultural initiative, and the drive to conclude unacceptable trade deals such as with Mercosur. Now, at the end of 2025, expectations remain unmet. The Commission’s determination to push ahead regardless would be a historic mistake for the European project, its farmers, and consumers alike. As such, on December 18 in Brussels, Copa and Cogeca are calling for a pan-European day of protest, just hours before President von der Leyen departs for Brazil to conclude the Mercosur deal and while EU heads of state and government meet for a key session of the European Council on the future EU budget. Around forty farming organisations from across Europe have already confirmed their participation. We are expecting 10,000 farmers to deliver a strong and united message to the Commission.
On Tuesday, 21 October 2025, Copa-Cogeca and its members gathered in front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg to urge MEPs not to accept the unacceptable, following the European Commission’s summer release of budget and CAP proposals that crossed all red lines and posed an existential threat to our sectors.
Who will pay the bill for the EU-Mercosur agreement? For BEUC and Copa-Cogeca, the answer is clear: European farmers and consumers. The reasons explained by the Secretaries-General of both organisations in this video
On Monday, 9 December, just hours after the announcement of a political agreement between the European Commission and representatives of the Mercosur bloc, Copa-Cogeca and its members launched a mobilisation against an outdated, unfair agreement with unacceptable cumulative effects for European agriculture.
Following our call to mobilise against the EU-Mercosur agreement, Marcos Rochinski, leader of Brazil's Confederation of Family Farm Workers, sent us a video message of support explaining why the agreement is also problematic for them!
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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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