Brussels – The president of Confagricoltura, Massimiliano Giansanti, has been unanimously re-elected as head of COPA. He was re-elected by the Executive Committee, which met today (2 October) in Brussels for a plenary session. He will continue to lead COPA alongside the current six vice-presidents: Nikolaus Berlakovich (LKÖ, Austria), Søren Søndergaard (DAFC, Denmark), Franck Sander (FNSEA, France), Pedro Barato (ASAJA, Spain), Jan Doležal (AKCR, Czech Republic) and Francie Gorman (IFA, Ireland). “I approach this new role with a great sense of responsibility and commitment. I intend to continue along the path we have set out on towards a new CAP (Common Agricultural Policy, ed.) that can safeguard the incomes and role of European farmers, who are on the front line every day to ensure we all have access to essential goods, as well as the sustainability of our precious rural areas,” he commented immediately afterwards.
At this historic moment, the sector’s attention remains firmly fixed on the EU’s next multiannual budget (the Multiannual Financial Framework 2028–2034). “It’s now or never. It is time for European agriculture to strengthen its position as a strategic asset on the global stage”, because “food is soft power” and “our food security must remain at the top of the Union’s political agenda, on a par with border defence and energy supply,” said Giansanti, thanking the presidents of the organisations that make up COPA. “To achieve this goal, we need a budget commensurate with the challenges we face. To respond to the climate and oil shocks, the world’s major powers are investing in strategic resources. COPA is committed to ensuring that European agriculture is recognised as such,” emphasised the re-elected president.
The re-elected Italian president of the Committee of European Professional Agricultural Organisations immediately received congratulations from across the political spectrum. “Italy therefore remains at the helm of the organisation representing European farmers. This result confirms that, thanks to the work of the Meloni government, our nation has regained its influence in every sphere in Europe,” commented the Minister for Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests, Francesco Lollobrigida. “Having a competent and experienced leader such as Giansanti at the helm of COPA is a guarantee for the entire agricultural sector. We extend our best wishes to him and his team for their work,” he added.
Speaking from the European Parliament, Vice-President Antonella Sberna (Fratelli d’Italia – ECR) highlighted that Giansanti’s re-election “at the helm of the leading organisation representing European farmers is a cause for satisfaction, as it recognises Italy’s expertise, experience, and ability to represent the agricultural sector in Brussels.” European agriculture “is going through a decisive phase, in which we must defend the competitiveness of our businesses, ensuring that farmers play a central role in the European Union’s decision-making, as requested by Italy, particularly with a view to the future Common Agricultural Policy and the major challenges facing the sector. “I extend my best wishes to Giansanti and his team for their work,” continued Sberna.
The head of the Democratic Party delegation to the European Parliament (S&D), Nicola Zingaretti, also expressed his satisfaction, describing Giansanti’s re-election as “an important recognition for Italian agriculture as well.” At a time “of great challenges and transformations, Europe must choose to invest in agriculture, safeguarding farmers’ incomes and food security for people and regions. This is why we need a strong CAP and a European budget that is up to the challenges, without any cutbacks on the resources allocated to the agricultural sector,” Zingaretti pointed out.
Also speaking from the chamber of the European Parliament, on behalf of the Fratelli d’Italia (ECR) delegation, Carlo Fidanza said he was “confident that Giansanti will be able to continue, thanks to his experience and professionalism, to successfully lead the organisation that represents European farmers.” Furthermore, “Italy has assumed significant strategic importance in shaping European agricultural policies, and this major recognition is further confirmation of this,” emphasised the ECR coordinator on the Agriculture Committee.
President Giansanti’s first term focused on consolidating collective action aimed at placing farmers’ voices at the top of the European political agenda. In this context, two highly attended demonstrations are worth mentioning: the first, held in December 2025 in Brussels, which prompted the European Commission to acknowledge the shortcomings for the agricultural sector within the proposed Multiannual Financial Framework; the second, organised in January 2026 in Strasbourg, which led the European Parliament to refer the agreement with Mercosur to the Court of Justice for legal review, in response to the sector’s demands. “Two significant achievements demonstrating that strong mobilisation, combined with effective political commitment at the institutional level, can bring tangible benefits to European farmers and rural communities,” Giansanti added. “These initiatives have helped shift the debate from viewing agriculture as a problem to recognising it as a strategic asset for Europe,” he commented.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
