We need bold, and tangible solutions for our farms and agri-coops: 📢A strong, common and well-funded CAP post-2027 -Fair and transparent trade rules that protect EU standards and the most sensitive sectors -Real simplification and better regulation #18December @COPACOGECA

23 September was the European Day of Organic Farming, Copa and Cogeca joined forces with the @EU_Commission and @OrganicsEurope to celebrate some of the best organic farmers across Europe at the 5th edition of the Organic Awards! 🎉 @EUAgri Director General Elisabeth Werner: “The EU organic market is the 2nd largest in the world”; with million hectares farmed organically and young farmers leading the charge. Søren Sødengaard, Copa Vice President and Danish farmer, agreed with the public: "This year was dry and bumpy!” “Challenges keep farmers up at night- he said. That’s why we must focus on supporting farmers, not just setting targets. We should ask what it is we can do to help organic farmers and make organic farming easier, not just setting targets. Rising costs, limited tools are real hurdles. We need more market opportunities and practical solutions, like extra financial support to cover extra costs as well as reward the environmental and social services organic farmers provide.” 🥁And the winners are… 🏆 Kay O’Sullivan, winner of the Best Female Organic Farmer 2026! 👩‍🌾 For 17 years, she has championed organic farming in Mourneabbey, North Cork 🇮🇪 preserving her family’s farm and cattle with dedication. Copa Cogeca’s VP Søren Sødengaard and Emilio Fidora, Vice Chair of our Organic Working Party, were honored to present her with this well-deserved award 🐑 🏆 Hans Erik Lørgensen, winner of the Best Male Organic Farmer 2026, whose Risbjerg Landbrug farm in Fyn 🇩🇰 has thrived for 20 years with 6 000 outdoor pigs and 350 hectares of organic land. He reminded us: "We need the EU, to produce with common rules." Fairness, clarity and shared standards are essential to keep the sector growing, a sector Europeans know and trust. Both Kay and Hans Erik are highly experienced organic livestock farmers who merge know-how with innovation to make the most out of the organic production system. They serve as amazing examples of consistency, adaptability, resilience and of course organic principles such as sustainability, biodiversity and focus on animal welfare. 👏Huge congratulations to the winners for all categories of the EU Organic Awards 2026, see you next year, where we can only expect even more incredible contestants to inspire us and continue to celebrate together this day !

✍️Under mounting pressure, Europe is approaching a defining moment: will it make the right strategic choices for its agriculture? As political work resumes in Brussels, we believe it would be an understatement to say that morale across Europe’s farming community is anything but high. Another summer of extreme weather, drought and wildfires has added pressure to already difficult market conditions in many Member States. Fertiliser and energy costs remain a concern, with farm finances already running dry, while wars, trade tensions, intensifying global competition and climate shocks are darkening both the immediate and longer-term outlook. It is against this backdrop that some of the most consequential agricultural policy decisions of the second von der Leyen Commission will be shaped in the months ahead. Yet, as European officials return to work, the political process for agriculture at EU level has rarely been so unclear. At a time when food is increasingly used as a strategic weapon and global powers are strengthening their agricultural sectors in the name of autonomy, resilience and food security, Europe is clearly moving in the opposite direction; not in its rhetoric, of course, but in its day-to-day actions. 🔗Read the Opinion Piece by @masgiansanti and @LennartN_LRF on @COPACOGECA's website >>>>> copa-cogeca.eu/press-release…

For several weeks now, from France to Spain, Portugal and Ireland, farmers, forest owners and cooperatives have stood shoulder to shoulder with firefighters on the front lines. They have devoted countless hours and confronted the flames with their own equipment. This should remind us all that farmers do far more than feed us, they are also the everyday guardians of our rural landscapes. For now, the priority is to fight the fires. But once the emergency has passed, we must draw the necessary lessons for the future. Farmers deserve greater recognition for the vital role they play as first responders and should be better integrated into wildfire prevention and response strategies. This is precisely the message we have consistently conveyed to the European Commission during the preparation of its new strategy, and recent events have only reinforced the validity of that position. Our thoughts are with those who've lost everything. Our deepest gratitude goes to all our colleagues and friends who are, at this very moment, risking their lives on the front lines to combat these devastating fires. 📸 Photos: @AFP 🎥 Videos from Instagram accounts: Mayor of Royan @ _patrick_marengo, @ guillaumebos, Dairy Farm @ gmholstein_mayneenergies, JavierSanz, @ e.t.a.v_terralisse_agrivititp, @ soldados_da_paz. Used with permission.

First meeting with @martinheydonfg, Ireland's Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 🇮🇪 who will chair the #AGRIFISH Council for the next 6️⃣ months as part of the @Ireland2026eu Presidency of the Council of the 🇪🇺 ➡️ In a context of difficult market situation, geopolitical uncertainty, challenging climatic conditions affecting farmers and agri-cooperatives across Europe, investing in agriculture means investing in EU' stability and security. For this first exchange, Copa President @masgiansanti and Cogeca's VP Leonardo Pofferi outlined a number of the key agricultural issues currently shaping the EU political agenda and on the table of #AGRIFISH Ministers today: *️⃣ CAP must remain a truly common policy with a dedicated and protected budget increased adapted to inflation *️⃣ Fair trade, with a specific monitoring on the implementation of EU-Mercosur agreement. GIs are key, along with ensuring effective market access for the most valuable exports. *️⃣ No cuts on Promotion policy Budget. Promotion is a successful EU policy to strengthen 🇪🇺 competitiveness. *️⃣ Livestock/Protein strategies 🟰 a welcome reset of the @EU_Commission's view, which needs to be followed by concrete actionns for the ground. *️⃣ Role of Women in agriculture is a very important focus by the Irish Presidency. Copa-Cogeca with its Women Commitee will contribute to all the work in this International Year of Women farmers! The Irish Presidency takes office at a decisive moment for European agriculture with discussions on MFF/#CAP expected to advance rapidly by the end of the year. 🚜 We count on a Presidency, from a country where agriculture plays such a central role, to ensure agriculture and food have the recognition it deserves for Europe's future.

🇮🇪🇪🇺Ní neart go cur le chéile - Strength with unity This morning, @COPACOGECA welcomed Mary Carey Counsellor, spokesperson for the Special Committee on Agriculture, to discuss the priorities for agriculture during the @Ireland2026eu Presidency with Copa and Cogeca national member organisations. Thank you for your insights and determination! Strength with unity starts with an European Common Agriculture Policy, the very policy on which the EU project was built on 🏛️ The next months will define in a profound way the future of the EU farming community, with discussions on MFF/CAP expected to progress rapidly, we count on Irish Presidency to ensure that food security, the income of our farmers and the role of agri-cooperatives will be at centre of Europe’s future🧑‍🌾👩‍🌾

At the @COPACOGECA Praesidia meeting, @EUAgri Director General Elisabeth Werner engaged with 150 farmers and gave an overview of the current hot topics: geopolitics and fertilisers, input costs, monitoring of commodity prices, trade deals, innovation, MFF/CAP... Farmers and Cooperatives repeated the need for: • Strong common #CAP and the worries related to capping and degressivity in the EC proposal • Urgent actions on markets, consequences of #CBAM and to implement the Fertiliser Action Plan looking to circularity • Simplification to go ahead in order to bring relief on the ground to farmers and agri-cooperatives • Fair trade and protection for key strategic sectors Thanks for the frank exchange. The farming community expects strong actions by the Commission in line with the strategic role of the sector for food security, rural areas and Europe’s project!

In just a few hours, EU leaders will begin fundamental discussions in Brussels on the future of Europe. Ahead of this key gathering, we would like to remind all participants that investing in Europe's agricultural sector means investing in Europe's future 🇪🇺 Recent geopolitical events have shown that peace and stability cannot be taken for granted. Failing to invest in agriculture and rural areas would be a strategic mistake, as food is increasingly being 'weaponised' in conflicts. Our overall security is something very concrete, built on clear pillars, and food security is one of its central components. The latest negotiating approach put forward by the Cypriot Presidency for the next EU budget maintains the structure of the @EU_Commission's proposal and its Single Fund approach. The proposed baseline for the agricultural envelope does not reflect the food security and transition challenges that will arise over the coming period. For Copa and Cogeca, the fundamental concern remains unchanged: the widening gap between expectations and means. Beyond the figures, the issue is one of coherence in the EU's agricultural vision 👀 It is not consistent to define agriculture as a strategic sector, recognise that food security cannot be taken for granted, and raise sustainability ambitions while simultaneously reducing real support for farmers. As negotiations move to the highest political level, @COPACOGECA urge Member States and the European Parliament to seize this opportunity to equip the CAP with the budgetary ambition, institutional strength and long-term certainty needed for European agriculture and food security. We call on EU leaders to reflect this reality both in their immediate responses to current crises and in the next #MFF, and to place agriculture at the heart of their decisions.

🌱 Today's ENVI vote marks a significant milestone for European agriculture ! By endorsing the @EUCouncil's first-reading position, the European Parliament moves closer to delivering an 🇪🇺 framework on NGTs that will strengthen food security, support sustainability, ensure fair competition and unlock innovation in Europe for farmers.

On the occasion of the International Year of Women Farmers, we're proud to see our Women's Committee Vice Chairs @ViktoriaStlund (@LRFSverige) and Teresa Roche @kylemorecheese (@IFAmedia) representing 🇪🇺women farmers at the @FarmBureau  Women's Leadership ACE Summit in Washington, D.C. this week🇺🇸👩‍🌾 🤝Strengthening transatlantic dialogue, exchanging experiences and advancing women's leadership in agriculture are more important than ever. #WomeninAgriculture #WomenFarmers #IYWF

Copa President @masgiansanti and Cogeca Vice-President Florentin Bercu met this afternoon with incoming Irish Presidency Minister @martinheydonfg 🇮🇪 and with Commissioner @MarosSefcovic 🇪🇺 2️⃣ high-level talks to underline the priorities of the farming community with the Irish Presidency and on trade, in particular: 🖍️For a strong #CAP, with an increased budget up to inflation. No cuts! 🖍️To present @COPACOGECA's positions on MFF/ CAP/ NRPP/ CMO/ European Competitiveness Fund 🖍️To ask rules-based trade and export opportunities for EU agri-food and a trade policy politically accountable and economically sustainable for farmers 🔴 #Mercosur is the test case: EU must control TRQs, enforce safeguards, mirror standards & monitor transparency !

The suspension of tariffs on fertiliser products benefiting from preferential access under the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) regime is a sensible measure and a long-standing request from @COPACOGECA, which we welcome positively. This suspension covers the main categories of fertilisers used by farmers (CAN, UAN, AS, DAP, MAP, NPK, etc.) and could help partially offset the loss of inputs previously sourced from Russia and Belarus. ⚠️However, we must be clear: given the scale of the Iranian crisis, this measure alone will not be sufficient to address short-term challenges for farmers.

We want european citizens to have food on their plates, good, safe, european food, shout Copa's President @masgiansanti. To produce european farmers and cooperatives need today concrete action on the table : 1️⃣ Suspension of the CBAM 2️⃣ Zero duty on fertilisers imports 3️⃣ Suspension of Nitrates Directives 4️⃣ Any single 🇪🇺 country may support their farmers

💢@COPACOGECA's reaction to EU Fertiliser Action Plan Concern was running high in Strasbourg, where farmers from across Europe had once again gathered for a symbolic action just hours before the presentation of the Commission’s fertiliser action plan. Announced as a response to the severe crisis faced by farmers over the soaring cost of this key input, the plan ultimately unveiled today contains no immediate measures that would give farmers hope of economic relief for the short term with the Middle East crisis, and lacks of firm and ambitious measures in the medium and longer term to provide relief from the multiplication of EU policies artificially increasing fertilisers prices. ⏱️The Fertiliser Action Plan presented today must be implemented without any further delays and complemented by immediate, concrete solutions that match the scale of the crisis. The European agriculture sector is heading straight towards a fertiliser wall, while the European Union monitors and hesitates when it should be taking action, because otherwise tomorrow it will be all European consumers who will find themselves up against the wall. 🔗Read full Press Release: copa-cogeca.eu/press-release…

📺Copa's President @masgiansanti alerted of a looming food crisis this morning in @euronews : "In few months we could face a serious increase in prices of the food, the time to act at the level of farms is now to avoid that fertiliser crisis turns into a food crisis. Less fertiliser, means less production on the next summer and lead to choices of even less sowing in next season." The EU has the tool and the capacity to act, Copa and Cogeca are calling for a fertiliser plan that matches the scale of the challenges. 🔗Watch full interview: euronews.com/my-europe/2026/…

Copa and Cogeca celebrates #EuropeDay 🇪🇺, as Europe’s farming community is undoubtedly among those most aware of the EU’s significance. 🌱🏛️ Agriculture is a founding pillar of the European project, it cannot be taken for granted today, and remains strategic for tomorrow.

📢At today’s Informal Meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers, @COPACOGECA Presidents @masgiansanti and @LennartN_LRF delivered an urgent warning: Europe’s food security and agricultural resilience are under threat, demanding immediate and decisive action by the 🇪🇺 Massimiliano Giansanti, Copa President, warned: “Without agriculture, there is no stability. Farmers are being crushed from all sides, by high costs, weak markets and external shocks. If Europe fails to act now, the consequences will not only severely hit European farms but also every consumer. A food crisis is on the horizon, and we cannot afford to wait.” 🔗Read full press release: copa-cogeca.eu/press-release…

Is it possible to take part in a debate in the @Europarl_EN on the consequences of the war in Iran for the 🇪🇺 without mentioning fertilisers or agriculture? Apparently, yes. At a time when both global agriculture and food security are heavily impacted by the conflict, and when farmers and cooperatives across Europe are being forced into impossible choices as costs become unbearable, the President of the European Commission, @vonderleyen, did not address the issue at all in her opening speech. We would like to thank the many MEPs, from across the political spectrum, who raised the critical issue afterwards and to recall a few key facts: ✅Yes, Europe has the means to act immediately to ease the pressure on farmers. ✅Yes, Europe has multiple options in the short, medium and long term to address this challenge. ✅Yes, we have been waiting for a fertiliser strategy for quite some time and @COPACOGECA has already a clear and united position on the matter : copa-cogeca.eu/publications We need urgently EU responses preventing a food inflation crisis!

Ahead of #AGRIFISH Council, Copa and Cogeca Vice-Presidents, Nikolaus Berlakovich & Florentin Bercu exchanged with Cypriot Presidency @CY2026EU 🇨🇾 Minister Panayiotou and 🇷🇴 Romanian Secretary of State Dumitru. Agriculture faces historic pressure, Europe must act now, not watch the crisis deepen. With military escalation in the Middle East entering its 8th week, severely impacting all farmers and agri-cooperatives operations, 📣VPs reiterated the urgent need for: strong, coordinated 🇪🇺response (like deployed during COVID-19 and in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine), to safeguard #food production, affordability for consumers, energy security and preserve the Single Market. An opportunity to officially handle 3⃣ key position papers on the future EU budget and #CAP adopted last week during @COPACOGECA's Praesidia, on: 1⃣The MFF, Performance Framework, NRPP and CAP 2⃣The Common Market Organisation 3⃣The European Competitiveness Our united message to co-legislators: the CAP must remain a truly common policy, with a dedicated, ring-fenced and protected budget at least at current levels and indexed for inflation over the 2021–2027 period. ➡️Mobilisation continues!

EU Heads of State and Government gathered in Brussels to reaffirm the need to accelerate 🇪🇺competitiveness and simplification agenda, as well as to strengthen Europe’s energy strategic autonomy, in the context of ongoing geopolitical tensions. The military escalation in the Middle East is clearly contributing to growing global instability and it is having impacts on EU farming community looking to fertilisers, energy. With 2⃣ wars on Europe’s doorstep, wars that now affect the lives of all European citizens, there is a need for strong measures. For the EU farming sector, @COPACOGECA welcome the call from EU leaders for the Commission to present a toolbox of targeted temporary measures to address energy price spikes without delay📈 The availability and prices of fertiliser for our farmers and agri-cooperatives, which are also heavily dependent on energy costs, must be treated with the same urgency. 📌On 6 March, @COPACOGECA have presented an Action plan proposing a comprehensive set of immediate, medium- and long-term measures to provide relief and stabilise the market. These need to be immediately put in place. While agriculture is strongly impacted by energy prices, the @EU_Commission should also recognise it as part of the solution and a strategic pillar of Europe’s energy transition, given agriculture significant potential to produce local and renewable energy. Like other EU industries, agriculture has significant untapped potential, that is currently constrained by red tape and administrative burdens. This is why @COPACOGECA welcome the call from EU leaders for the Commission to advance omnibus packages and simplification initiatives further, starting with the streamlining of permitting procedures. ⌛️The time of bold action is now! We call on the Commission to propose concrete measures to support the sector.

A big thanks to Ms Schubert, gender equality expert at @EUAgri, for joining @COPACOGECA's Women’s Committee to present the newly launched Women in Farming Platform and exchange with our members. The platform has strong potential, and engagement with key stakeholders will be essential for its long-term effectiveness to deliver on some of the key challenges for women farmers. 🗓️Deadline for application to be part of the platform: 30 April. 🔗agriculture.ec.europa.eu/ove…