A Vision for the Future of EU Agriculture
On February 19, 2025, Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto presented a newly adopted Vision for Agriculture and Food, signaling a strategic political stance aimed at reinforcing the agricultural and agri-food sectors within the European Union. The speech underscores the sector’s vulnerability to recent global challenges and market volatility, responding to widespread calls from the farming community for greater support and dialogue.
Key Political Orientations and Strategic Elements
Fitto emphasized the strategic importance of agriculture not only for food security and sovereignty but also for maintaining the EU's status as the world’s largest agri-food exporter. The Vision marks an important shift in policy approach, advocating a "new way of working" based on dialogue and trust-building along the agricultural value chain. This includes expanding engagement to local levels, ensuring tailored policies rather than blanket solutions, and promoting territorial diversity and regional traditions. The Commission’s intention to reinforce Geographical Indications (GIs) illustrates a concrete step to support local producers, preserve culinary heritage, and stimulate rural economies.
Implications for Stakeholders
This Vision holds significant implications for various stakeholders. Local authorities are positioned as pivotal actors in managing food systems linked to territory and tradition, gaining enhanced roles and responsibilities. EU producers, particularly small and medium-sized farms, may benefit from customized policies and improved market value through GIs, although adapting to diverse targeted solutions may impose administrative challenges. EU consumers could gain access to more regionally distinct products, improving quality and variety, but potentially at higher prices. EU taxpayers and rural communities may see benefits from coordinated investment in rural development, infrastructure, and digitalization, though the financial commitments and implementation complexities could be substantial.
The speech contains concrete commitments including the operationalization of Strategic Dialogue platforms and improved coordination between CAP and other EU funds, but specific numerical targets, budget allocations, or deadlines remain underspecified.
In summary, Fitto’s Vision seeks to strike a balance between enhancing sector competitiveness and sustainability, addressing generational renewal, and supporting rural vitality through a more localized and integrated policy framework, reflecting a moderate shift towards strengthening EU agriculture governance while respecting regional diversity and national sovereignty.