This Week in Agri-Food — Brussels (#13, 2026)
EP AGRI votes on Horizon Europe opinion; Committee scrutiny of CAP post-2027; Council prepares CAP, wildfire and income discussions; Parliamentary budgetary control focuses on agri-fraud, OPEKEPE, and rural funding.
April 05, 2026 to April 11, 2026
EP AGRI votes on Horizon Europe opinion; Committee scrutiny of CAP post-2027; Council prepares CAP, wildfire and income discussions; Parliamentary budgetary control focuses on agri-fraud, OPEKEPE, and rural funding.
📋 In This Week's Newsletter
• 📅 This Week's Calendar in Brussels
• 🤝 EU Council
• ✒️ EP Committee Work
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week
This Week's Calendar in Brussels
- Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI): On April 15, the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: Amending Regulations (EC) No 1272/2008, (EC) No 1223/2009 and (EU) 2019/1009 as regards simplification of certain requirements and procedures for chemical products; Chair’s announcements; Date of next meetings.
- Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI): On April 15, the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: Chair’s announcements; Empowering France to accede to the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles; *** End of electronic vote ***.
- Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI): On April 15, the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: * * *; ------; Amending Decision (EU) 2015/1814 as regards the market stability reserve for the buildings, road transport and additional sector.
- Committee on International Trade (INTA): On April 15, the European Parliament's Committee on International Trade (INTA) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: * * *; Chair’s announcements; Conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Political, Economic and Cooperation Strategic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the United Mexican States, of the other part.
- Committee on International Trade (INTA): On April 15, the European Parliament's Committee on International Trade (INTA) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: * * *; Ad-hoc delegation to the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO and the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 24-27 March 2026; Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the Union and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.
- Committee on Fisheries (PECH): On April 15, the European Parliament's Committee on Fisheries (PECH) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: Chair’s announcements; Empowering France to accede to the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles; *** End of electronic vote ***.
- Committee on Fisheries (PECH): On April 15, the European Parliament's Committee on Fisheries (PECH) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: * * *; Chair’s announcements; Conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe and the European Community (2025–2029).
- Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI): On April 16, the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: * * *; ------; Amending Decision (EU) 2015/1814 as regards the market stability reserve for the buildings, road transport and additional sector.
- Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI): On April 16, the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: ECA Special Report 11/2026: Innovation Fund - High potential, but slow progress and little impact on emissions reduction.
- Committee on International Trade (INTA): On April 16, the European Parliament's Committee on International Trade (INTA) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: * * *; Ad-hoc delegation to the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO and the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 24-27 March 2026; Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the Union and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.
EU Council
Council prepares debate on CAP post-2027 and forest wildfire prevention
The Agriculture and Fisheries Council will meet on 27 April 2026 to discuss the European Commission’s post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) proposals, with a focus on income support measures and the contribution of agriculture and forest management to wildfire prevention. Ministers will also exchange views on the current agricultural market situation across Member States in light of recent climatic and geopolitical challenges.
EP Committee Work
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development adopts opinion on Horizon Europe for 2028-2034
On 8 April 2026, the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) held an ordinary meeting in Brussels, including a vote on the opinion for the regulation establishing Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation for the period 2028-2034 (COM(2025)0543 – C10-0164/2025, rapporteur Bert-Jan Ruissen, ECR). The committee adopted its opinion highlighting the need for stable funding for agricultural and food security research, a multi-actor approach involving primary producers, and the promotion of innovation transfer to farms. The agenda also included an exchange of views with the European Economic and Social Committee on the CAP post-2027 (COM(2025)0560 – C10-0169/2025, rapporteur Norbert Lins, PPE), and a consideration of the draft report on EU agri-food promotion policy (rapporteur Salvatore De Meo, PPE). Committee members discussed strengthening the position of farmers in the food supply chain (rapporteur Céline Imart, PPE) and reviewed the implementation conditions for CAP support from 2028 to 2034. The meeting further featured a workshop on the Multiannual Financial Framework and the CAP, and presentations from the Commission on the ‘Soil Deal for Europe’ mission.
Parliamentary scrutiny on agricultural budgetary control: OPEKEPE, rural guesthouses, and CAP performance
The Committee on Budgetary Control published its report on discharge for the implementation of the EU’s general budget for 2024, including extensive scrutiny of agricultural funds. The report addresses the investigation into alleged fraud at the Greek Payment and Control Agency for Guidance and Guarantee Community Aids (OPEKEPE), highlighting corrective actions taken by Greek authorities and the European Commission’s ongoing monitoring. It also details concerns regarding the management and follow-up of rural development funding for guesthouse projects in several Member States and calls for stricter conflict-of-interest and durability checks. The report assesses CAP 2023-2027’s performance-based delivery model, notes low early absorption rates in the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, and discusses the Commission’s reservations and remedial actions for Member States with deficiencies in control systems.
What We're Reading This Week
- Advancing relational methods in agri-food...: Researchers develop new approaches to better understand and strengthen relationships within agri-food systems for improved sustainability.
- A new method for calculating the food self-sufficiency ratio: supply-side food self-sufficiency ratio: Researchers propose a supply-focused metric to more accurately assess countries' abilities to meet their own food needs.
- EU CAP Network Magazine - Issue 4: Issue 4 spotlights innovative approaches and policy updates shaping the future of EU agriculture and rural development.
