• The European Commission launches a new task force to design the future of the livestock sector in line with the European Union's new "Vision for Food and Agriculture"

• The objective is to formulate a sustainable and competitive livestock industry through dialogue, participation and scientific innovation.

European livestock farming is facing a defining moment. Therefore, the European Commission (EC) has launched a new working group on livestock farming as part of its ambitious Vision for Food and Agriculture . The objective: to design long-term policies that guarantee a sustainable livestock sector in all three areas: economic, environmental, and social. This working group is designed to facilitate open dialogue with all stakeholders to rethink the role of livestock farming in the future of Europe.

The initiative, promoted by Janusz Wojciechowski, European Commissioner for Agriculture, responds to the multiple challenges facing the sector: from pressure from global markets to growing environmental and social demands. The EC recognizes that livestock farming is and will continue to be an essential pillar of the European agri-food market, but also that it needs to adapt to a changing context.

This new working group held its first meeting in Brussels on May 27, and was attended by representatives from across the livestock value chain, national authorities, academic experts, and civil society organizations to address two issues:

1. How to build a fairer livestock value chain with prices that reward producers.

2. Direct CAP support towards sustainable livestock systems.

What is the Livestock Working Group?

The new EU Livestock Workstream is made up of members of two existing expert groups: the Civil Dialogue Group on Animal Production and the Expert Group on the Common Market Organisation . It will also include academic experts and speakers specializing in the livestock sector.

Its main functions are:

• Explore policy avenues for a competitive, sustainable, and fair livestock sector.

• Promote a culture of dialogue and trust among all stakeholders.

• Analyze the challenges facing the sector, such as competition in international markets or the ecological transition.

• Advise the EC in the development of new policies .

The next meetings planned for the new working group are:

• October 23, 2025

• December 11, 2025

A shared vision of the future

In line with the new Vision for Food and Agriculture , the EC is committed to an integrative approach, where environmental protection, economic viability, and social cohesion go hand in hand. The diversity of livestock systems in the EU—from extensive farms to intensive models—requires tailored solutions, but also a shared vision.

This new working group represents a unique opportunity to rethink the European livestock model through dialogue, science, and participation, and to ratify the CAP 2023-2027 as fair, green, and resilient.