proposes that the future CAP should further promote agro-ecological practices such as crop diversification, long crop rotations, hedges, cultivating leguminous plants, constant soil cover, mixed crop-livestock farming, etc.;
calls for the implementation of the proposals set out in its previous opinions on the future CAP and pastoralism;
recommends that the Member States introduce a system of bonuses and penalties as part of the eco-schemes of the new common agricultural policy;
calls for an end to cage rearing, suggests creating a European "animal welfare" label, and recommends clear, mandatory labelling of the husbandry method;
calls on the European Commission to propose a new European directive on agricultural soils to halt the decrease in their organic matter content and stop erosion;
calls for new European legislation on seeds to enable the use and marketing of farmer-saved seeds;
proposes that the EU implement the recommendations made by the European Parliament in its 2017 own-initiative report on farmland concentration in the EU and Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure adopted by the FAO in 2012;
recommends measures such as: reducing VAT on organic, local and seasonal products, "local" meal vouchers for such products, and a significant percentage of organic, local and seasonal products in mass catering;
calls on the EU to coordinate and facilitate a network of municipalities committed to taking measures to promote resilient, sustainable agricultural and food systems.
On 20 October 2020, the rapporteur participated as a speaker at the European Week of Regions and Cities' workshop on Regional living labs for agroecology – a joint initiative of the European Commission, the NAT Commission of the European Committee of the Regions and ERIAFF. The event explored how regions can take an active role in scaling-up agroecology through living labs and various instruments that can be used for that purpose.
On 25 February 2021, the rapporteur took the floor at the webinar "The roots of resilience: a land policy for an agroecological transition in Europe" organised by the Erasmus Strategic Partnership 2018-20 on Collaborative Learning About Innovative Land Strategies.
On 2 March 2021, the rapporteur attended the webinar "The relocation of agricultural and food activities, hope or illusion in the crisis for the Regions?" organized by Regions de France.
On 5 March 2021, the rapporteur participated at a hearing with the advisory mission of the French Minister of Agriculture and Food relating to the international commitment of French actors on agroecology and to an international sponsorship.
On 15 April 2021, the rapporteur attended the PUBLIC HEARING on the European Citizens' Initiative End the Cage Age.
On 13 October 2021, Mr Brežan to present the COR commitment on animal health and labelling in our opinion on agroecology at the EFF (European Food Forum) event.
THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
- proposes that the future CAP should further promote agro-ecological practices such as crop diversification, long crop rotations, hedges, cultivating leguminous plants, constant soil cover, mixed crop-livestock farming, etc.;
- calls for the implementation of the proposals set out in its previous opinions on the future CAP and pastoralism;
- recommends that the Member States introduce a system of bonuses and penalties as part of the eco-schemes of the new common agricultural policy;
- calls for an end to cage rearing, suggests creating a European "animal welfare" label, and recommends clear, mandatory labelling of the husbandry method;
- calls on the European Commission to propose a new European directive on agricultural soils to halt the decrease in their organic matter content and stop erosion;
- calls for new European legislation on seeds to enable the use and marketing of farmer-saved seeds;
- proposes that the EU implement the recommendations made by the European Parliament in its 2017 own-initiative report on farmland concentration in the EU and Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure adopted by the FAO in 2012;
- recommends measures such as: reducing VAT on organic, local and seasonal products, "local" meal vouchers for such products, and a significant percentage of organic, local and seasonal products in mass catering;
- calls on the EU to coordinate and facilitate a network of municipalities committed to taking measures to promote resilient, sustainable agricultural and food systems.