European Agricultural Policy

The Common Agricultural Policy is one of the most important areas in which EU countries cooperate, and is allocated approximately 40% of the EU’s budget. However, in its current form, this policy is not only not responding to contemporary challenges, it is actually aggravating significant environmental and social problems. And long-term it is threatening the food sovereignty of EU countries. The Heinrich Böll Foundation is working to begin a widespread debate in Poland to discuss the prevailing agricultural model, the effects of the CAP and its need for reform. We support those voices calling for public money to go towards reinforcing ecologically, socially and economically sustainable agriculture.

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Programme Coordination

Anna Jakubowska

Head of European Agricultural Policy Programme

anna.jakubowska@pl.boell.org

Latest articles

The Power of Three – A Weimar triangle for rural Europe

Geopolitics, geography and geometry can sometimes come together as a force for good. A gathering of people from European rural and urban civil society in the Polish village of Grzybów was one such moment. The event, which was spearheaded by ARC2020 and took place at the end of November, weaved together rural, urban, farming and EU perspectives to find a common thread towards a fairer, more sustainable farming and food system.

By Natasha Foote and Hannes Lorenzen

Foto: Grüner Pflanzenspross in rotbrauner, lockerer Erde.

Carbon Farming Won’t Save the Planet

Commentary

Funding climate protection through carbon certificates for soil may seem beneficial at first. However, a greater focus on soil health and supporting farmers in adopting sustainable practices would be far more effective in practice.

By Sophie Scherger

CBD COP16: Wins and losses for biodiversity and peoples, unfinished business on implementation

Commentary

The sixteenth UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Cali, Colombia, faced significant challenges and ran overtime due to disagreements between developing and developed countries. A resumed meeting will be required to address these unfinished issues.

By Mirna Inés Fernández

Topics

Soil Atlas 2024: Healthy soils hand in hand with food security, climate and nature conservation

Press release

Healthy soils are a basic requirement for producing nutritious food, preserving biodiversity and adapting to climate change. But the condition of the soils is poor, with more than a third of the world's agricultural land being considered degraded. In the European Union, more than 60 percent of soils are now damaged - caused, among other factors, by industrial agriculture and the effects of the climate crisis such as droughts. This is outlined in the Soil Atlas 2024, published today by the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung and TMG – Think Tank for Sustainability.

By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung and TMG – Think Tank for Sustainability

European Union: Soil protection? Wanted!

Soil Atlas 2024

Protection measures for climate, water, and biodiversity have been enshrined in EU law – in some cases, for decades. But a comprehensive legal framework for soil protection is still lacking. Previous attempts to create one have been torpedoed, while most existing policies are toothless.

By André Prescher-Spiridon

Sustaining tomorrow: the imperative for the EU to uphold its 2030 goals for a sustainable food system

Analysis

The EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy was designed to ‘accelerate the transition to a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system’. It sets a range of targets to be met by 2030, underpinned by a mixture of new or revised laws, and non-legislative initiatives. As the current European Commission nears the end of its mandate, this article proposes how the next European Commission, from 2024–2029, should carry forward the goals of the Farm to Fork Strategy, and actions to meet its targets, especially as the EU is currently stalling many of its aspects in light of recent farmer protests.

By Harriet Bradley

A vision for delivering the European Green Deal in the new EU policy cycle

Analysis

With the European elections just around the corner and the subsequent appointment of a new European Commission, the next phase of the European transition to climate neutrality is about to begin. This article touches upon some key topics and challenges that lie ahead in the near future to ensure an effective implementation of the European Green Deal (EGD).

By Mattia Bonfanti and Irene Chiocchetti

Publications

Soil Atlas 2024

Atlas

The Soil Atlas 2024 not only highlights the consequences of the global loss of fertile soil, but also shows the potential of sustainable and fair land use for climate protection and biodiversity.

Peatland Atlas 2023

Atlas

The Peatland Atlas 2023 highlights the consequences of the destruction of these unique habitats, but also the potential of wet peatlands for mitigating climate change.

Food cooperatives in the EU

The report "Food cooperatives in the EU. Lessons for Poland" presents the results of a study on the organizational solutions adopted by food cooperatives in four EU countries - Hungary, Czechia, Italy, and Spain. The second part of the report is devoted to formal and legal issues concerning the activities of food cooperatives in Poland. The report also includes recommendations on the further development of the food cooperative sector in Poland. The report was developed by Grochowska Cooperative Foundation in cooperation with Heinrich Böll Foundation in Warsaw and EIT Food.

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All publications on European Agricultural Programme