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European Parliament President Roberta Metsola pledges a more responsive and simplified EU approach to support farmers, strengthen food security, and ensure the sustainability of rural communities beyond 2027.
Europe’s farmers have long been the backbone of the continent’s food system, but today they face mounting challenges—from climate pressures and market instability to the burden of complex regulations. Speaking at the Coldiretti Forum on Agriculture and Food in Rome, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola sent a clear message: the European Union is listening and taking action. “Enough with empty words,” she declared, emphasizing that the Parliament is committed to delivering real, tangible results for those who feed Europe.
In her address, Metsola underscored that the European project must remain grounded in responsiveness and accountability. “We need a Europe that listens and reacts,” she said, “one that guarantees food security, economic growth, and a viable future for rural communities.” For the Maltese president, this means simplifying life for farmers and ensuring that policy serves the people it was designed to protect. “We were elected with a clear mandate—to make things work, to simplify the lives of farmers, families, and businesses,” she affirmed.
Reducing bureaucracy is one of the central pillars of this vision. “Simplifying rules means enabling you to plan, invest, and grow,” Metsola explained, reflecting a growing sentiment among policymakers and agricultural stakeholders that excessive red tape has hindered innovation and long-term planning. The European Parliament, she noted, recently approved concrete measures aimed at making agricultural work “easier and the future more secure.”
A key part of this reform effort centers on predictability and fairness. Metsola outlined a vision of “fewer papers, fewer obstacles, more sensible rules,” particularly for small-scale farmers, who often bear the heaviest administrative burdens. She also stressed the importance of protecting designations of origin—a cornerstone of Europe’s culinary identity. Defending geographic indications, she argued, is about “protecting the quality and traceability of food,” giving consumers the ability to make informed choices while safeguarding the heritage and livelihoods of local producers.
Beyond simplification, Metsola placed strong emphasis on traceability and food safety. She called for tighter border controls and consistent enforcement of standards to prevent unfair competition and ensure that European consumers can trust the products on their tables. “Food security,” she reminded the audience, “is a fundamental part of European sovereignty.” In a globalized market, maintaining this sovereignty means defending not only Europe’s economic interests but also its social and environmental values.
Looking ahead to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2027, Metsola pledged that farmers “will—and must—be at the center of the debate.” The goal, she said, is to modernize Europe’s agricultural tools, protect the CAP budget, and keep the focus squarely on “people and those who create value.” This next generation of CAP should ensure fair incomes, promote innovation, and guarantee that rural areas not only survive but thrive. In her words, “The next CAP must protect farmers’ livelihoods, ensure fair conditions, support food production, and foster innovation so that rural communities do more than just survive—they must prosper.”
Metsola also addressed the European Union’s trade policy, stressing the need for balance between openness and protection. The EU, she affirmed, will continue to support “open and fair trade” and to build international partnerships that generate growth and opportunity. However, she was clear about where the EU’s priorities must lie: “Our first responsibility is towards those who produce in Europe.” When European farmers are placed at a disadvantage, she insisted, “Europe must intervene to defend its interests, its quality, and its food identity.”
Her remarks reflect a broader effort within the European institutions to rebuild trust with the agricultural sector—an effort shaped by recent farmer protests, supply chain disruptions, and rising costs. By championing a less bureaucratic, more farmer-centered approach, Metsola aims to align European policy with the real needs of those working the land.
Roberta Metsola’s message at the Coldiretti Forum was both pragmatic and hopeful. She portrayed an EU ready to evolve, to simplify, and to stand up for its farmers in an increasingly competitive and uncertain world. “Europe listens,” she said—and under her leadership, the European Parliament intends to prove that listening leads to action. For Europe’s farmers, that promise may mark the beginning of a new era: one where policies are not just written in Brussels, but rooted in the fields, communities, and traditions that keep Europe alive.
Alessandro Fiorentino