Agriculture and Food
Two proposed timetables put forward for commissioner hearings
See who’s up for a grilling in the European Parliament on which days.
China’s hit at EU brandy sparks fear of all-out trade war
Emmanuel Macron’s last stand
European Commission maps out ‘power grab’ over €1.2T money pot
Britain’s Brexit border regime is delayed — again
France can’t ban ‘sausage’ names for plant-based meat, EU top court says
Poland vows changes to alcohol laws after kids’ mousse vodka fiasco
Leaked documents: Which EU commissioners have the most property, money and influence
POLITICO has reviewed the declarations of interest of every European Commission nominee.
Weber crows as von der Leyen walks back EU deforestation drive
Ban on products from logged forests is delayed, raising green fears.
European commissioner hearings confirmed for November
European Parliament chiefs will grill the commissioner hopefuls between Nov. 4 and Nov. 12.
European Parliament inches toward commissioner hearings in November
Chairs of the Parliament’s committees prefer a Nov. 4 start date.
UK accused of stifling legal challenge to Australia trade deal
Campaigners claim the agreement failed to take into account the impact of the deal on Britain’s international climate targets.
UK scraps Brexit’s ‘Not for EU’ food labels — for now
The eleventh-hour policy reversal follows a huge backlash from businesses.
European Parliament to decide between starting commissioner hearings in October or November
MEPs are likely to opt for a Nov. 4 start date.
Europe’s soil emergency
Amid drought and flood disasters, inaction on restoring soil health is increasingly leaving farmland waterlogged and heat-cracked.
Costas Kadis: A bookish technocrat to handle oceans and fisheries
A conservation biologist by training, Kadis has held several ministerial posts over the past 25 years.
Global leaders disappoint with their plan to fight superbugs
Deaths due to antimicrobial resistance forecast to nearly double by 2050.
Summer 2024 was Europe’s warmest on record, scientists say
Southeastern Europe dealt with strong heat stress for most of the season, scientists said.
Emmanuel Macron’s lonely battle to defend the EU-Canada trade deal
French lawmakers, and even Macron’s new ministers, want to stop CETA — but that doesn’t mean they will be able to.
Germany clears the way for Europe to shoot more wolves
The German vote was key to secure the adoption of a proposal to make it easier to kill threatening wolves in Europe.
Von der Leyen budgeted €149K to pay medieval history professor for farming report
The European Commission president bumped up the salary rate for academic to nearly €1,000 per day.
EU countries agree to downgrade the protection status of the wolf
A political win for von der Leyen.
Climate change doubled likelihood of Central European flood catastrophe, scientists say
Similar events are becoming more predictable and severe as the planet warms, analysis finds.
What the new French government means for Brussels
With both president and prime minister vying for control in the policy domain, the political picture could look somewhat different.
Von der Leyen’s first 100 days: What she’s promised, what it means and what she’ll really deliver
The Commission president is promising to move quickly with far-reaching reforms. How credible is her plan?
Center right gets its way as golden boy Hansen lands EU farm job
Ursula von der Leyen’s pick for agrifood commissioner is a political animal and skilled mediator — qualities he will need to do a better job than his hapless predecessor.
How Teresa Ribera became the second-most-powerful person in Brussels
Spain’s climate expert is poised to become the EU’s competition chief, net-zero architect and economic transformer — all in one.
Who works for whom in the new EU power structure
POLITICO reveals the lines of command in Ursula von der Leyen’s second term.
Err … him?! EU’s new animal welfare chief yet to win hearts and minds
Campaigners had hoped for someone with “some kind of experience” in animal welfare issues and “a heart for animals.”
Mr. Fix It gets his toughest mission yet: EU trade boss
As the next commissioner for trade and economic security, Maroš Šefčovič will have to handle his French boss, Stéphane Séjourné.
Former Brexit chief Maroš Šefčovič is surprise pick for EU trade czar
Dependable Slovak has served in the Commission for 15 years.