Amid a stormy geopolitical landscape and the spectre of renewed farmers’ protests across the continent, Luxembourg’s Christophe Hansen assumed the role of EU Agriculture Commissioner on 1 December alongside the rest of Von der Leyen’s second Commission. The son of a farmer, Hansen arrives with broad political support after sailing through his MEP hearing, but also the weighty responsibility of improving the lives of Europe’s farmers.
Wasting no time in outlining his priorities, Hansen has already called for a “different” approach to agri-food policy, notably pledging to unveil a new Vision for Agriculture and Food within his first 100 days in office. Yet, with tensions high and key agri-food decisions set to provide early litmus tests, Hansen faces an uphill battle to navigate this terrain and deliver meaningful change for the bloc’s agriculture sector.
The errors in VDL’s ways
Christophe Hansen takes the reins as Agriculture Commissioner in a regulatory environment still grappling with the fallout from the European Green Deal’s flagship ‘Farm to Fork’ (F2F) Strategy. Launched five years ago under Ursula von der Leyen’s first Commission, the F2F strategy aimed to green Europe’s food systems with ambitious targets on pesticide reduction, animal welfare and nutrition labeling, yet most of its proposed measures having faltered under pressure from broad political opposition and unprecedented farmers’ protests.
In this turbulent climate, Hansen envisions a decisive departure from the past as he crafts a new Vision for Agriculture and Food expected in the spring. His critique of the F2F strategy as a “top-down imposition” signals a shift aimed at rebuilding trust with Europe’s farming community. Crucially, Hansen has voiced skepticism about the arbitrary, percentage-based targets of F2F’s key policies, favoring broader objectives and practical aspirations.
By prioritising collaboration over coercion, Hansen offers a lifeline to farmers, signaling a long-overdue shift toward policies that address their needs and realities after years of misguided policymaking under the F2F agenda – perhaps best exemplified by the EU’s mandatory nutrition label proposal.
Emblematic nutrition label debacle
Since this file’s introduction, France’s EU label candidate, Nutri-Score, has been a lightning rod for criticism, with its top-down and reductive approach to assessing nutritional value alienating farmers across the bloc. Traditional European cheeses and cured meats have been unfairly branded with poor scores, with the Nutri-Score algorithm’s narrow focus on sodium and fat content overlooking these products’ micronutritional benefits and deep-rooted heritage.
The problem has only deepened with Nutri-Score’s latest algorithm update, with dairy farmers and fruit producers caught in the crossfire – previously afforded a ‘green A’, natural, nutrient-rich foods such as whole milk and even French prunes have been inexplicably downgraded to a ‘yellow C.’ These arbitrary demotions have sparked frustration among producers and governments alike, with many calling for Nutri-Score’s outright rejection.
Last June, Portugal formally turned away from Nutri-Score, citing its potential to confuse consumers, while lawmakers in former stalwart Switzerland are actively considering a ban. Even Danone, a once-vocal supporter of the system, recently decided to drop Nutri-Score from its products in light of the new algorithm.
Yet this opposition goes well beyond the political and industrial spheres – the European Court of Auditors recently raised concerns about the consumer confusion caused by the proliferation of food labeling systems like Nutri-Score, while France’s own food safety agency, l’ANSES, has questioned its algorithm’s ability to guide consumers toward nutritious diets. What’s more, the French government’s confirmation last month that Nutri-Score will remain optional – possibly an attempt to placate its protesting farmers – highlights the system’s increasingly uncertain future.
Nevertheless, French supermarket giant Carrefour demanded that suppliers include the Nutri-Score label on all online products while promising to shame companies which refuse. Seemingly keen to court controversy, Carrefour followed this move with a declaration that its French stores would not stock Mercosur-sourced products in the event of a deal with the South American bloc.
The Mercosur dilemma
Beyond nutrition labelling, the polarising Mercosur deal presents an even more immediate challenge for the new EU Commission. Leading the opposition, French farmers recently staged protests against the agreement, fearing it would flood domestic markets with cheaper South American products and undermine local competitiveness, with the movement spreading to other member states in the past weeks. Their concerns are rooted in a fundamental disparity: South American producers are not bound by the EU’s stringent rules on labour and environmental standards, leaving Europe’s beef and poultry sectors particularly vulnerable.
Opposition to the deal extends beyond France to key member-states like Ireland, Austria, the Netherlands and Poland, whereas Germany and Spain continue to back the deal. There’s still plenty of time to reverse course before the deal’s final approval. Blatantly ignoring Europe’s agri-food sectors’ concerns would be a decidedly poor way to start a new term based on dialogue Commissioner Hansen seeks to cultivate.
Charting new course
With the EU’s new agri-food vision on the horizon, Hansen has announced the establishment of the European Board on Agri-Food—a consultative body bridging farmers, supply chain stakeholders, and civil society—through which the new Agriculture Commissioner aims to ensure an inclusive, bottom-up perspective informs the policymaking process. While the board will not wield legislative power, its role in shaping discussions around the 100-day vision could help mend fractures between policymakers and the agri-food sector.
Acknowledging the Commission’s insufficient engagement of EU farmers, Hansen has insisted that “it will be very important not to disadvantage the farming community because we are speaking about their future.”
As the new EU Commission begins its mandate, Hansen’s initial statements offer a glimmer of hope for Europe’s farmers. However, encouraging words must translate into tangible support if farmers are to remain competitive and sustainable in an increasingly volatile landscape. From addressing regulatory burdens to mitigating trade risks and providing fair funding, Hansen’s success will hinge on balancing ambitious reforms with practical solutions that ensure the long-term resilience of Europe’s agricultural sector.
This article does not endorse or express the views of Qrius and/or its staff.
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