Europe’s Winning Formula: Strong Farms, Fair Trade, and Cutting-Edge AI
10 September 2025
In her 2025 State of the Union address today, President Ursula von der Leyen emphasised Europe’s commitment to supporting its agricultural sector and advancing European technological independence through artificial intelligence (AI).
She underscored the crucial role of European farmers and fishers, calling them custodians of the land, oceans, and biodiversity, which together guarantee the continent’s food security. “In Europe, we have access to high-quality food that our outstanding farmers and fishers produce at affordable prices,” she remarked. Yet, she acknowledged the challenges they face, from soaring input costs to bureaucratic red tape and unfair competition. To address these, the Commission has simplified the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to reduce paperwork and increase trust, safeguarded income support within the next Multiannual Financial Framework, and ensured funding can be topped up by national and regional contributions.
Von der Leyen stressed the importance of fair competition and a level playing field for farmers, noting robust safeguards in trade deals like Mercosur backed by compensation funding where necessary. She also announced plans to review the enforcement of unfair trading practices legislation and launched a new “Buy European food” campaign to promote the continent’s high-quality produce. “Farmers have a right to a fair price for their food – and a fair profit for their families,” she declared.
Highlighting technology as key to Europe’s future, President von der Leyen connected these agricultural goals with the EU’s strategic investments in AI. She called for “a European AI” as essential for future independence, powering industries and society from healthcare to defense. The Commission is focusing on foundational policies such as the Cloud and AI Development Act and the Quantum Sandbox, as well as investing heavily in AI Gigafactories to support startups developing next-generation AI models.
The agrifood sector benefits directly from this vision of AI-enabled innovation. AgrifoodTEF, supported by the EU’s Digital Europe Programme, is bringing AI and robotics solutions to farmers across Europe. By providing testing and experimentation facilities, agrifoodTEF enables the deployment of AI-powered technologies that optimise resource use, improve crop management, and enhance sustainability in food production. This initiative aligns perfectly with the European drive to maintain a competitive, resilient agricultural sector empowered by trustworthy AI.
Later in the day, President von der Leyen was set to meet with CEOs of leading European tech companies, who would present their commitment to invest in Europe’s tech sovereignty with the European AI & Tech Declaration. This partnership reflects the growing collaboration between public investments and private innovation crucial for Europe’s strategic autonomy.
About agrifoodTEF
agrifoodTEF is a pioneering European initiative that provides a comprehensive network of Testing and Experimentation Facilities (TEFs) across nine countries, both physical and virtual, to support agritech companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, in testing and validating their AI and robotic solutions in real agricultural contexts. This helps bridge the gap between research and commercial deployment, accelerating the introduction of innovative digital technologies that enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and competitiveness of European food production. AgrifoodTEF empowers farmers and agritech developers by enabling the use of AI-driven tools in areas like crop management, irrigation, livestock care, and food processing, directly addressing challenges such as resource optimisation and environmental sustainability. The project supports over 200 AI and robotics services, benefiting thousands of innovators by helping transform ideas into market-ready solutions, which is vital for ensuring Europe’s food security and environmental goals. Additionally, agrifoodTEF contributes to Europe’s technological sovereignty by fostering trusted AI technologies developed within the continent, aligned with EU strategies for digital independence. Hence, agrifoodTEF plays a critical role in driving the digital transformation of agriculture, improving the sector’s resilience and sustainability while securing fair economic opportunities for farmers and maintaining Europe’s leadership in agri-food innovation.
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