Europe talks defence, not climate
The recent leak of the Strategic Agenda of the European Council for the upcoming mandate revealed a crucial shift in European policy: defence now overshadows climate concerns.
In a departure from the 2019 priorities, which championed sustainable agriculture and climate action, the leaked draft indicates a pivot towards defence, addressing illegal migration, and EU enlargement as primary concerns for the bloc's 27 Member States. While the document does mention ensuring food security through a robust agriculture sector as a secondary objective, it conspicuously sidelines the promotion of sustainable food systems and the environment.
Strikingly, the two-page text omits explicit references to policies intended to enhance the sustainability of the food sector or to protect the environment. The term “green” is noticeably absent, and environmental references are limited to promoting a “business-friendly environment”. This comes amidst widespread farmer protests across the EU, rollbacks of environmental requirements under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and continuous delays in the implementation of flagship initiatives like the Farm to Fork (F2F) Strategy.
This reprioritisation reflects current global geopolitical tensions, most notably, Russia’s war on Ukraine, growing concerns over migration, and the rise of the far-right which have pushed green policies to the sidelines of the European agenda. The EU’s first-ever European Defence Industrial Strategy and a new defence industry programme, presented in March 2024, is a glaring indication that the EU is investing in developing defence capabilities, readiness and competitiveness.
Although the document hints at intensified efforts toward a circular economy and resource efficiency, the previous narrative of a “climate-neutral, green, fair and social Europe” has faded. Critics argue that the European Council's renewed emphasis on food security appears politically charged, intended to appease groups frustrated by recent sustainability and environmental policies. This sentiment is echoed by representatives of the EU's leading agrifood industry lobbies, who have raised their concerns about the Agenda’s alignment with the bloc's broader sustainability goals.
Led by European Council President Charles Michel, the Agenda is set to be finalised by the summer of 2024. While the heads of EU Member States cannot impose their wishlist on the EU executive, the current Commission has already begun to reframe climate policies in more business-friendly terms. With the EU elections on the horizon, the Strategic Agenda raises a fundamental question: will the EU defend its turf or its trees?
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To read the Strategic Agenda 2024-2029, please follow the link here:
To read the Strategic Agenda 2019-2024, please follow the link here:
To read the first-ever European Defence Industrial Strategy and a new defence industry programme, please follow the link here: