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Welcome to our monthly insights into all EU agri-food policy news – from legislation and debates to political deals and manoeuvring – directly from Brussels and with a focus on sustainability.
September brought a mixed picture for EU agri-food policy. The European Commission moved forward on several files with direct relevance to the sector, but agriculture and food continued to sit within the wider policy narrative that we’ve become so familiar with focused on competitiveness, resilience and food security.
There were however some important signals from policy makers this “rentrée” season. Food Public Procurement was explicitly included in the new Public Procurement Act after being absent from the earlier draft, an important recognition of the sector, which received limited prominence in the annual State of the Union address.
The Commission also finalised the EUDR product-scope changes, while the forthcoming Climate Resilience Framework signals growing attention to how climate risks will affect food production, water resources and supply chains.
Overall, this month’s developments on agri-food suggest that the sector continues to play a central role in some of the EU’s most important strategic debates.
On 9 September, the European Commission presented its proposal for a new Public Procurement Act, designed to simplify and modernisemodernize the EU public procurement framework and strengthen its strategic, digital and sustainability dimensions.
Importantly for the agri-food sector, now has its own dedicated provision: food procurement is explicitly covered under Article 53. Public buyers will be able to take food quality and sustainability considerations into account. The proposal specifically refers to considerations such as fair remuneration for farmers and transparency in food supply chains, supply chain organization, organic production and quality schemes (including geographical indications), nutritional value, freshness and seasonality of food, and animal welfare requirements.
The Ohana take: The inclusion of food is a notable change from the earlier leak we covered in last month’s newsletter, where food was absent from the draft. But there is a big caveat: these considerations remain voluntary, leaving public buyers’ discretion over whether and how to apply food-related sustainability considerations.
The 2026 State of the Union address, the Commission President’s annual speech, setting out the EU’s key priorities and policy direction for the year ahead, gave only brief attention to agriculture and food. Where the sector did appear was mainly in the context of water scarcity, food security, climate resilience and the role of AI in the agri-food sector.
The Ohana take: Agrifood was largely addressed through broader lens of resilience and food security, rather than as a policy focus in its own right. With no major new measures or dedicated policy initiatives for the sector mentioned in the speech, it reinforced the sense that, at least in this year’s SOTEU, agriculture and food remain part of the supporting cast rather than centre stage.
The Commission Delegated Regulation amending Annex I of the EU Deforestation Regulation was published in the Official Journal on 17 September, formally confirming the changes to the list of products covered by the Regulation.
Among the key changes were the removal of cattle hides and leather from scope, alongside the addition of products such as soluble coffee, certain palm oil derivatives and frozen cattle tongues, which will apply from 30 December 2027.
The Ohana take: For business the publication brings much-needed certainty on the final product scope of the EUDR, giving operators a clearer basis to assess which products will remain covered and plan compliance accordingly.
The European Commission is preparing a new European Climate Resilience and Risk Management Integrated Framework, expected on 28 October, to strengthen EU preparedness for the growing impacts of climate change. During her State of the Union address, President von der Leyen also announced that the framework will identify 100 of Europe’s most vulnerable territories and assess the risks they face.
The Ohana take: The framework signals a stronger EU focus on climate adaptation and resilience, complementing existing mitigation efforts. The agri-food sector may be included in the proposal: The Irish Council Presidency has already called on the European Commission to ensure that agriculture is adequately reflected in the framework. For the agri-food sector, the key question will be how prominently agriculture, food production and related risks are reflected in the final framework.
The European Commission has proposed a new Public Procurement Act, replacing the current procurement directives with a single EU Regulation. The reform aims to simplify implementation across Member States, reduce national divergences, and strengthen the use of public procurement to deliver environmental, social and economic objectives.
Key changes include a shift from awarding contracts based solely on the lowest price to the best price-quality ratio, with a clearer legal basis for incorporating sustainability and social considerations throughout the procurement process.
For the food sector, the proposal introduces a dedicated article allowing public buyers to consider factors such as fair remuneration for farmers, sustainable and organic production methods, nutrition, freshness, seasonality and animal welfare when defining procurement requirements. European farmers have welcomed the proposed changes to public procurement rules, viewing them as an important step towards aligning public purchasing practices with the sustainability and quality standards that farmers are working to deliver.
The Act also includes a stronger European preference dimension. Public authorities could give preference to EU suppliers and products, while the Commission would be empowered to restrict access for suppliers from countries that do not provide reciprocal market access, pose supply security risks, or raise economic security concerns.
However, the use of sustainability criteria remains largely voluntary, raising questions about the extent to which the reform will drive meaningful change. Without binding requirements, contracting authorities may have limited incentives to systematically incorporate sustainability considerations into procurement decisions.
The proposal will now enter negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council, with potentially lengthy and politically sensitive discussions ahead.
6 – 7 October 2026
The two-day Conference will bring together stakeholders from across the agri-food value chain to explore practical solutions for integrating biodiversity into food production systems, including biodiversity impact assessment, biodiversity credits and incentive schemes.
13 October 2026
In-Person Policy Debate to explore the opportunities and challenges surrounding regenerative agriculture and its role in Europe’s sustainable food transition.
13 October 2026
The Annual Conference will bring together policymakers and stakeholders to discuss the key challenges and opportunities shaping Europe’s fertilizer industry, against the backdrop of an evolving economic, industrial and geopolitical landscape.
12-16 October 2026
Brussels Climate Week will explore how climate policy, technology and collaboration can support Europe’s sustainability and competitiveness. For the agri-food sector, the Food & Nature Forum focusing on resilient & sustainable food and land systems, as well as a Food & Agri Roundtable, both on the 15th of October, will be particularly of interest
If you have questions regarding anything in the Ohana Agri-Food Monthly Insights, please reach out to Natalia Yerashevich at natalia@ohanapublicaffairs.eu, or Francesca Fina at francesca@ohanapublicaffairs.eu