• The so-called "Vision for Agriculture and Food" seeks the simplification of agricultural policies, as well as innovation and digitalization in all its aspects.
• The Vision will be accompanied by a new legislative framework for the agricultural sector this year.
• The Vision aims to modernize the sector to make it more attractive, resilient, competitive and integrate new generations.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated on February 19th during the presentation of theVision for Food and Agriculture that “Our farmers are at the heart of the EU food production system. Thanks to their hard daily work, we all have safe, high-quality food. However, our farmers face the growing challenges of global competition and climate change. That is why today we are offering a comprehensive strategy that makes farming more attractive, more resilient, and more sustainable.” The Vision was presented by European Commissioner for Food and Agriculture, Christophe Hansen.

The new roadmap for adapting the European agricultural and agri-food sector to new global scenarios seeks, above all, to simplify it and modernize it through digitalization and innovative approaches. Therefore, a comprehensive simplification package for the current agricultural legislative framework will be presented in 2025, along with a digital strategy for agriculture.

Work areas

The Vision describes four priority areas:

1. An attractive and stable agricultural sector : The goal is to make agriculture an attractive sector through fair incomes and better-targeted public support, including carbon and nature credits, as complementary sources of income. The EC is committed to ensuring that farmers are not systematically forced to sell their products below production costs through the "Unfair Trading Practices Directive."

In this area, the EC will also present a “ Generational Change Strategy” .

2. Food security and sovereignty : The European Union (EU) is committed to maximizing trade negotiations and agreements to protect the interests of European farmers. The Vision thus responds to farmers' calls for greater harmonization of production standards for imported products to ensure that European standards do not create competitive disadvantages, while also aligning with international standards.

In this area, the Commission will begin taking action in 2025 on hazardous pesticides banned in the EU, animal welfare, and rigorous controls on safety standards.

3. Environment : The agricultural sector plays a fundamental role in the transition to a low-carbon economy. The Vision recognizes the need to reconcile climate action with food security and current challenges. Therefore, incentives are provided to farmers for adopting nature-friendly practices . In this context, the EC will accelerate access to biopesticides on the EU market.

The Commission will also develop the " On-Farm Sustainability Compass ," a voluntary assessment system to help farmers measure their farm performance. A water resilience strategy will also be developed to address the urgent need for more efficient water use.

4. Rural Environment : The Commission will present the updated Rural Action Plan to ensure the development of rural areas. In this regard, an annual food dialogue will be launched with a wide range of stakeholders, including consumers, farmers, industry, and public authorities, to find solutions to issues such as food affordability and innovation. The Commission will also closely consider reducing food waste and addressing societal concerns regarding animal welfare in the future.

And what about the CAP?

The future Common Agricultural Policy ( CAP ), part of the next European budget for 2028-2034, aims to be simpler and more targeted, focusing on food production and with particular attention to generational renewal . Above all, it will prioritize incentives , rather than the conditions or conditionality that have been the case up to now.

Spanish position

The European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen, presented the "Vision for Agriculture and Food" in Spain, one day after its presentation in Brussels. At the event, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, stated that " the Vision incorporates key aspects of the National Food Strategy ( ENA ), such as the ban on loss-making sales and a more simplified and better-focused Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for those most in need, supporting small farmers, family farming, and professional agriculture ."