NAT section newsletter

June 2026 ■ www.eesc.europa.eu ■ Our current & future opinions

EDITORIAL BY STOYAN TCHOUKANOV

Circularity is rooted in nature and leads to prosperity

Europe must embrace a broader vision of circularity, rooted in nature, regeneration and resource efficiency. As the Circular Economy Act takes shape, I highlight the vital role of the single market in scaling circular solutions and strengthening competitiveness. True circularity goes beyond recycling: it means respecting planetary boundaries and aligning Europe’s prosperity with the health of its ecosystems. 💬Read the editorial

📄ADOPTED OPINIONS 📆 17-18 June 2026

NAT/968

NAT/986

Evaluation of Common Agricultural Policy’s delivery on its objectives

Circular Economy Act

MEET OUR MEMBERS

Meet our members | Javier Garat on healthy oceans, competitive maritime sectors and thriving coastal communities

In this interview, NAT member Javier Garat says the biggest challenge for achieving healthy oceans is ensuring that Europe’s maritime sectors remain competitive while continuing to improve their environmental performance. If Europe provides the right framework, including investment support and regulatory certainty, we can have healthy oceans, competitive maritime sectors and thriving coastal communities at the same time. The solution is not to choose between environmental protection and economic activity, but to pursue both through smart, evidence-based policies.🔎Read more

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Circular Economy Act must make Europe more resilient, competitive and independent

On 17 June, at the last EESC plenary session, European Commission Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera and EESC members stressed that the Circular Economy Act should place circularity at the centre of Europe’s competitiveness, resilience and strategic autonomy. The discussion was held in connection with the EESC’s exploratory opinion on the Circular Economy Act which was requested by the European Commission and adopted during the same session. The opinion calls for stronger markets for secondary raw materials, better financing and a more systemic approach. 🔎Read more 🎬Rapporteur's video

OUR FEATURED NEWS

EU Organic Awards 2026 - Finalists announced!

The European Commission has unveiled the finalists for the 2026 EU Organic Awards, recognising outstanding and inspiring initiatives across the organic value chain. We are delighted to present the nine finalists in the three categories under the EESC responsibility: best organic food processing SME, best organic food retailer, and best organic restaurant/food service. The winners will be announced on EU Organic Day: 23 September 2026.🔎Read more

EESC event | Advancing SDG 7 and SDG 11 through Sustainable Food Systems

On 15 June 2026, the EESC's Sustainable Development Observatory and Permanent Group on Sustainable Food Systems held a joint public meeting to explore how sustainable food systems can advance the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in today’s geopolitical and environmental landscape. The meeting opened with a presentation of the recent IPES-Food report "The New Geopolitics of Food" and focused on energy transition in agri-food systems and sustainable public food procurement. 🎬Video recording

EESC partnership event | High level conference on the role of Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) in the implementation of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) agreement

On 2 June, the EESC and EBCD hosted a high-level conference to examine the role of RFMOs in implementing the BBNJ Agreement at a pivotal stage between PrepCom III and COP1. It brought together RFMOs, EU institutions, Member States, UN bodies and the fisheries sector to discuss cooperation, complementarity and practical challenges. The event fostered dialogue on consultation, data-sharing, environmental impact assessments and area-based measures, while strengthening shared understanding and trust across fisheries and environmental governance communities.🎬Info and video recording

EESC event | NAT section debate on the Circular Economy Act

On 21 May, the NAT section held a debate to explore the forthcoming Circular Economy Act. The debate featured two members of the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP) Coordination Group who, building on discussions from the recent ECESP Annual Conference, examined governance, market incentives and stakeholder engagement needed to strengthen circular economy implementation across value chains. The exchanges fed into the recently adopted exploratory opinion.🎬Video recording

EESC event | NAT section debate on the agrifood implications of the conflict in the Middle East

On 21 May, the NAT section held a debate on the agrifood implications of the conflict in the Middle East, focusing on disruptions to energy and fertiliser markets and their effects on food security. It highlighted growing pressures on the EU agri-food sector, rising costs for producers and increasing food insecurity among households. Speakers from the FAO and the European Commission discussed possible responses and underlined the need for a more strategic, systemic and resilient approach to future shocks.🎬Video recording

EESC partnership event | Advancing just transition: Tackling distributive impacts and building societal support

On 12 May, the EESC and IEEP hosted a conference to explore how to deliver a fair and inclusive energy transition. The conference presented the main findings of the AdJUST Horizon Europe project and brought together EU institutions, regional representatives, trade unions, researchers and civil society to examine distributional impacts, institutional capacity, policy credibility and procedural justice. Discussions highlighted the need for sustained funding, accessible reskilling, stronger public engagement, local participation and continuous policy adjustment to ensure that no community was left behind. 🎬Info and video recording

EESC event | Enlargement and EU Climate Policy

On 11 May, the EESC held a public hearing in the context of its own-initiative opinion on Enlargement and EU Climate Policy. The hearing examined how enlargement would affect the pathway to the EU’s 2040 climate target and climate neutrality, assessed the role that EU climate and pre-accession policies and regulatory alignment could play in accelerating decarbonisation in candidate countries and discussed how civil society could contribute to a just and inclusive climate transition in the context of enlargement.🎬Video recording

ALSO ON THE AGENDA

European Environment Agency report | Diversifying Europe's protein supply could cut emissions and reliance on imported feed

Europe's protein system relies strongly on livestock production and imported feed. This generates environmental pressures within Europe and beyond its borders, while increasing exposure to supply-chain disruptions, market volatility and geopolitical risks. Protein diversification should therefore be understood not as a rapid replacement for livestock production, but as a gradual rebalancing of Europe's protein supply and consumption patterns alongside continued efforts to improve livestock sustainability. 🔎Read more

EU CAP Network | Assessment of farmers’ position in the food chain

Farmers’ position in the food chain is shaped by more than prices or income alone, and improving it is essential for a fairer, more resilient agrifood system. These guidelines show why farmers' cooperation, quality schemes, short value chain and coherent CAP instruments, assessed through robust, mixed-method evaluations, are key to increasing value added and bargaining power, thereby strengthening farmers’ position in the food chain. 🔎Read more

Gov of Ireland | Pre-Registration opens for Global Bioeconomy Summit 2026 in Ireland

Pre-registration is now open for the Global Bioeconomy Summit 2026, taking place at Dublin’s Convention Centre on 20–21 October during Ireland’s EU Council Presidency. Hosted by key Irish departments and the IACGB, the summit will convene global leaders from policy, industry, research and civil society under the theme “Bioeconomy for socio-economic transformation and climate action”. Attendance is subject to application review.🔎Read more

JRC report | Operational framework for stress testing EU food security

This report sets out an operational framework for stress-testing EU food systems to identify vulnerabilities and strengthen crisis preparedness. Responding to rising risks from climate change, geopolitical instability and economic volatility, it adopts a multidimensional approach to food security. Using systems thinking, scenario-based foresight and expert-stakeholder collaboration, the methodology helps policymakers and industry move from reactive crisis response towards proactive resilience-building across the EU food system. 🔎Read more

IPES FOOD | The New Geopolitics of Food

This report explores how trade wars, conflict, climate change and political tensions are reshaping global food security and exposing the fragility of import-dependent food systems. Focusing on low-income consumers and vulnerable countries, it highlights practical tools to stabilise prices and protect access to food. Drawing on examples from India, West Africa, Canada and Norway, it calls for resilient self-reliance through stronger domestic systems, agroecology and fairer trade.

🔎 Read more