Ultimele documente

Rezumat : This study was prepared by the Policy Department at the request of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI). It examines the bioeconomy's role in future EU agriculture, focusing on promoting farms' economic sustainability. The paper analyses policy frameworks, successful circular models, and trends in biomass valorisation to identify strategies for income diversification. Finally, it provides policy options to boost bioeconomy initiatives and strengthen value chains within the European farming sector.

Autor extern : Assoc. Prof. Pavla VRABCOVÁ, Ph.D., Associate professor, Technical University of Liberec Assoc. Prof. Miroslav HÁJEK, Ph.D., Associate professor, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague Assoc. Prof. Hana URBANCOVÁ, Ph.D., DBA, Director, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences Prof. Lukáš ČECHURA, Ph.D., Dean, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Rezumat : This study was prepared by the Policy Department at the request of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI). It examines the bioeconomy's role in future EU agriculture, focusing on promoting farms' economic sustainability. The paper analyses policy frameworks, successful circular models, and trends in biomass valorisation to identify strategies for income diversification. Finally, it provides policy options to boost bioeconomy initiatives and strengthen value chains within the European farming sector.

Autor extern : Pavla VRABCOVÁ, Miroslav HÁJEK, Hana URBANCOVÁ, Lukáš ČECHURA

Autori : SERPIERI Margherita

Rezumat : This study provides information on farm businesses of young farmers in Finland, Spain, Luxembourg and Poland. It examines EU and national measures supporting generational renewal under the CAP 2023-2027, alongside structural trends in the farming sector in the four Member States. The analysis highlights the role of integrated policy mixes and complementary national policies targeting financial liquidity, access to land and retirement.

Autor extern : Arndt MÜNCH, Manon BADOUIX (ÖIR GmbH)

Rezumat : This study provides information on farm businesses of young farmers in Finland, Spain, Luxembourg and Poland. It examines EU and national measures supporting generational renewal under the CAP 2023-2027, alongside structural trends in the farming sector in the four Member States. The analysis highlights the role of integrated policy mixes and complementary national policies targeting financial liquidity, access to land and retirement.

Autor extern : Arndt MÜNCH, Manon BADOUIX, ÖIR GmbH

Autori : SANDERSKI ANDRZEJ, CROSSFIELD CLARE BABETTE, SERPIERI Margherita

Rezumat : In February 2026, two and a half years after the European Commission's proposal, trilogues started on a new regulation on the production and marketing of plant reproductive material (PRM). The proposal, put forward on 5 July 2023, would replace 10 of the 12 PRM directives that currently lay down the rules for seeds, tubers, cuttings, seedlings and young plants. It would introduce sustainability requirements for registering new varieties of agricultural plants, vegetables and fruits intended for professional users, while PRM intended for amateur gardeners and conservation organisations – such as seed banks – would be exempt from many of the requirements. There would be less stringent conditions for registering conservation varieties, and the exchange of seed in kind between farmers would be allowed in small quantities.

Autori : SAJN Nikolina

Rezumat : This study examines recent developments in EU farm incomes, focusing on the heightened price volatility observed since 2020. Sharp increases in energy, fertiliser, and feed costs, driven by multiple factors, have led to significant income variations across Member States and farm types. The report reviews challenges in measuring farm income and proposes improvements to enhance the timeliness, coverage, and policy relevance of income data. It also summarises existing farm income support mechanisms and outlines policy options to improve targeting efficiency, strengthen sector resilience to shocks, and support the long term economic sustainability and competitiveness of EU farm incomes.

Autor extern : Trevor DONNELLAN, Roel JONGENEEL, Hans VROLIJK, Fiona THORNE, Jason LOUGHREY, Marcel VAN ASSELDONK, Emma DILLON, Ana GONZALEZ-MARTINEZ,

Rezumat : This study examines recent developments in EU farm incomes, focusing on the heightened price volatility observed since 2020. Sharp increases in energy, fertiliser, and feed costs, driven by multiple factors, have led to significant income variations across Member States and farm types. The report reviews challenges in measuring farm income and proposes improvements to enhance the timeliness, coverage, and policy relevance of income data. It also summarises existing farm income support mechanisms and outlines policy options to improve targeting efficiency, strengthen sector resilience to shocks, and support the long term economic sustainability and competitiveness of EU farm incomes.

Autor extern : Trevor DONNELLAN, Roel JONGENEEL, Hans VROLIJK. Fiona THORNE, Jason LOUGHREY, Marcel VAN ASSELDONK, Emma DILLON, Ana GONZALEZ-MARTINEZ,

Autori : SANDERSKI ANDRZEJ, SERPIERI Margherita

Rezumat : The European Commission drew up seven impact assessments (IAs) in support of 18 programme proposals for the 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework (MFF) and the proposed regulation on a horizontal performance framework. The broad scope of these IAs does not allow individual programme proposals to be assessed in any detail – as is particularly salient in the case of the IA on the national and regional partnership plans, covering nine legislative proposals. All IAs acknowledge a deviation from the scope and depth of a standard IA as defined by the Better Regulation Guidelines (BRG). This is justified with Tool #9 of the BR Toolbox, which indicates the specificity of the MFF, but does not define how related IAs should be carried out. As a result, the application of the better regulation principles varies widely across the MFF IAs. They are similar insofar as the Commission chose for all of them a mostly horizontal rather than policy-specific approach and did not include any budgetary considerations and scenarios. These choices affect the quality of key sections of the IAs considerably, albeit to varying extents. The problem definition often lacks specificity and substantiation. Similarly, the IAs' objectives remain largely unspecific, which, in turn, affects the IAs' monitoring and evaluation provisions and risks hampering the future measuring of the objectives' achievement. The description of policy options is in most cases short and vague, which weakens the impact analysis. The depth to which economic, social and environmental impacts are assessed varies across the sampled IAs. The analysis remains predominantly qualitative, with quantification largely lacking. All seven MFF initiatives are deemed relevant for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and are thus listed in the 'SME filter'. The IAs state that they place great emphasis on simplification and burden reduction. None of them is accompanied by a subsidiarity grid, and they discuss subsidiarity, European added value and proportionality rather briefly. While the IAs differ considerably in terms of quality and transparency when it comes to their evidence base and methodology, all of them acknowledge certain limitations and a lack of data (notably quantitative data). Consultation activities were largely limited to open public consultations. The Regulatory Scrutiny Board (RSB) found significant shortcomings in all seven draft IAs, prompting it, exceptionally, to issue opinions without qualification. The persisting flaws in the final IAs suggest that the RSB recommendations have at best been partially addressed. Altogether, the limited quality of the MFF IAs appears to reflect a missed opportunity to provide policymakers with high-quality and transparent evidence for one of the most important policy packages to be negotiated in the coming months and years.

Autori : ANGLMAYER Irmgard, KRAMER Esther

Rezumat : The nationally pre-allocated envelopes proposal is included in the post-2027 multiannual financial framework package (2028-2034 MFF). It aims to bring together current MFF programmes or strands and regroup them into a single national and regional partnership plan (NRPP) for each Member State. The IA refers to Tool #9 of the Better Regulation Toolbox, acknowledging that the 'special case of preparing a new multiannual financial framework is a unique process requiring a specific approach as regards scope and depth of analysis'. Therefore, it explains that budget assumptions for each programme are unreliable at this stage, hence the assessment is only qualitative. The IA provides an intervention logic to present the problems, drivers, objectives and two different strands of policy options. However, the description of the problems and their drivers, as well as their comparative relevance, could have been more structured and clearer. The IA describes the legal basis and explains the need for and added value of EU action. The IA should have established a clear link between the specific objectives, the problems identified and their drivers. The description of the options would have benefited from more detailed explanations, as it is not quite clear what kind of measures each option would comprise. In general, a series of shortcomings have been identified concerning the range and assessment of options. The feedback from the consultation activities could have been better reflected and considered in the IA, particularly regarding the available policy options and their potential impact. The IA does not assess the economic, social and environmental impacts of the policy options, including any territorial impact, while it briefly touches upon the issue of fundamental rights. Its qualitative analysis only includes a very limited reference to associated impacts, and it does not adequately assess the costs and benefits of the options. The IA does not provide concrete information on the monitoring and evaluation plans, such as monitoring indicators, data sources or the evaluation timeline. The Regulatory Scrutiny Board decided to issue an opinion without qualification due to significant shortcomings in the draft IA. The revised IA appears to have made an effort to improve the quality of the assessment; however, not all points were addressed.

Autori : EFTHYMIADOU Andriana

Rezumat : This EPRS 'European implementation assessment' study aims to inform the ongoing work of the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development on an own-initiative report (2025/2089(INI)) on the implementation of Regulation No 1144/2014 on the EU agricultural promotion policy. The study is composed of two parts. The first part is an introduction by EPRS's Ex-post Evaluation Unit that provides the context, methodology and contribution of the study to parliamentary and EU policymaking and the EU's better regulation agenda. The second part is a comprehensive study of the regulation undertaken by a team of external experts, evaluating the effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, coherence and EU added value of the policy in the EU and third markets over the period 2015-2025. It concludes that the policy should continue, with recommendations relevant in the context of the post-2027 common agricultural policy and for the better functioning of the EU agri-food promotion policy.

Autori : KARAMFILOVA Ekaterina, AHAMAD MADATALI HANNAH NAFIZE, MONDA Mafalda

Autor extern : Bradley, Dylan; Christodoulou, Maria; Gentile, Mario; Loi, Alberico; Mateos del Castillo, José Vicente; Nganga, John; Russ, Annemarie

Rezumat : On 21 October 2025, the European Commission under Ursula von der Leyen's second mandate adopted its work programme for 2026 (2026 CWP). In line with the Commission President's political guidelines and letter of intent and highlighting the need for full implementation of Mario Draghi's competitiveness report, the 2026 CWP places a strong emphasis on competitiveness, innovation and collective security. In parallel, the Commission commits to advancing simplification, implementation, and this year, also to strengthening enforcement. These three areas will remain key horizontal priorities for the entire Commission mandate. Just like last year's CWP, the 2026 CWP adheres to the seven headline ambitions put forward in the political guidelines. It is accompanied by a report on implementation, simplification and enforcement, the first of its kind. This new annual report is set to replace the annual burden survey. Annex I of the 2026 CWP puts forward 70 major new legislative and non-legislative initiatives, 44 % of which fall under the competitiveness headline ambition. (Up to) 48 of the new initiatives are legislative, including three sector-specific omnibus packages (on energy product legislation, taxation and citizens). Of the forthcoming legislative initiatives, 67 % are likely revisions of existing legislation, while more than half have a strong simplification dimension. Unlike previous CWPs, the 2026 CWP does not indicate whether a legislative initiative will be accompanied by an impact assessment; this lack of transparency runs counter to the spirit of the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making. Information on the Commission's 'Have your say' portal shows that, at the time of writing, two thirds of the up to 48 legislative initiatives were expected to be accompanied by an impact assessment (though the final number may be higher). The annual evaluation plan presented in Annex II of the CWP, comprising 20 evaluations, does not appear exhaustive. Finally, the communication on Better Regulation, expected in Q2 2026, may entail a revision of the Better Regulation Guidelines, the first since 2021.

Autori : ANGLMAYER Irmgard, DALLI HUBERT, IOANNIDES Isabelle

Rezumat : The European Parliament is vested with powers of democratic oversight and political scrutiny vis-à-vis the European Commission. These powers of Parliament enhance the democratic legitimacy of the EU as a whole, and help increase the transparency and accountability of the Commission as the EU's executive body. This study examines Parliament's oversight and scrutiny powers over the Commission. It focuses mainly, but not exclusively, on the powers that are enshrined in specific provisions of the EU Treaties. This includes Parliament's role in the Commission's investiture, in motions of censure, parliamentary questions, committees of inquiry and special committees, and in the Commission's obligations to report, consult and inform. It also looks into Parliament's scrutiny over budgetary issues, of delegated acts, in the context of the EU legislative procedure and agenda-setting, of legal proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Union, and of the EU's external relations. The study builds on a previous EPRS study on parliamentary scrutiny of the Commission, originally requested by the European Parliament's Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) in 2018. The data presented in this edition focus on the ninth term parliamentary term (2019 to 2024).

Autori : TENHUNEN Susanna, EISELE Katharina, AHAMAD MADATALI HANNAH NAFIZE, JANSEN Talander Hugo

Rezumat : Commitments made by Jessika Roswall, Commissioner-designate for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, 2024-2029

Autori : MARTINELLO BARBARA, MAJERCZYK MAGDALENA, NANNUCCI LAPO, POLLUVEER KRISTI

Rezumat : This research project by the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE) and The Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) for the European Parliament provides an analysis of the various parameters that are likely to have an impact on the objectives and content of the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for the 2028-2034 funding period.

Autor extern : INRAE and IDDRI; Hervé GUYOMARD, Marlène STICKEL, Cécile DETANG-DESSENDRE, Louis-Georges SOLER, Pierre-Marie Aubert, Alain CARPENTIER, Aurélie CATALLO, Pierre DUPRAZ, Carl GAIGNE, Elsa REGNIER, Sophie THOYER

Rezumat : This research project is delivered by the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE) and The Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) for the European Parliament provides an analysis of the various parameters that are likely to have an impact on the objectives and content of the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for the 2028-2034 funding period. This study comes in two volumes. Volume 1 is the study and Volume 2 is the annexe of the study.

Autor extern : INRAE and IDDRI; Hervé GUYOMARD, Marlène STICKEL, Cécile DETANG-DESSENDRE, Louis-Georges SOLER, Pierre-Marie Aubert, Alain CARPENTIER, Aurélie CATALLO, Pierre DUPRAZ, Carl GAIGNE, Elsa REGNIER, Sophie THOYER

Rezumat : Commitments made at the confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate 2024-2029

Rezumat : This study provides an overview of the impact of commodity traders on agricultural markets. It examines the ramifications of financialisation, explores prevailing trends, and confronts the challenges that characterise the industry's landscape. Moreover, after analysing the regulatory state of play at the international level, it provides suggestions towards bolstering the sector's accountability and transparency, essential for fostering trust and sustainability. By scrutinising these aspects, this study offers insights into the intricate dynamics of agricultural trading and its broader socioeconomic implications.

Autor extern : Ernst & Young (EY): Axel WION, Armando LUCIANO, Sofia Noelle GONZALEZ PROFUNDO: Barbara KUEPPER University of Bonn: Linus LINNAEUS TANNOR SOMO: Myriam VANDER STICHELE

Rezumat : This study provides an overview of the impact of commodity traders on agricultural markets. It examines the ramifications of financialisation, explores prevailing trends, and confronts the challenges that characterise the industry's landscape. Moreover, after analysing the regulatory state of play at the international level, it provides suggestions towards bolstering the sector's accountability and transparency, essential for fostering trust and sustainability. By scrutinising these aspects, this study offers insights into the intricate dynamics of agricultural trading and its broader socioeconomic implications.

Autor extern : Ernst & Young (EY): Axel WION, Armando LUCIANO, Sofia Noelle GONZALEZ PROFUNDO: Barbara KUEPPER University of Bonn: Linus LINNAEUS TANNOR SOMO: Myriam VANDER STICHELE