Across Europe, agricultural systems face increasing pressure to transition toward more sustainable practices while maintaining productivity and resilience. Within this context, the OPER8 project has developed a general policy brief, followed by a series of national policy briefs that analyse the current policy landscape and provide recommendations for improving the uptake of Non-Chemical Weed Management (NCWM) strategies under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
These briefs provide country-specific insights based on policy analysis, highlighting strengths, gaps, and priorities for supporting alternative weed control, agroecological practices, advisory services, and technological innovation. By examining national conditions and stakeholder needs, they offer practical recommendations for advancing sustainable weed management and strengthening the role of policy frameworks in supporting its adoption.
Across the briefs, several common priorities emerge. A key recommendation is to establish clearer CAP pathways that explicitly support NCWM practices, covering both agroecological approaches (Level 2) and precision or digital tools (Level 1). While current CAP measures already support some agroecological practices, technology-based solutions are often less integrated into existing policy instruments.
To accelerate adoption, the briefs highlight the importance of using eco-schemes under Pillar I and agri-environmental measures under Article 70 of Pillar II as key mechanisms for scaling up NCWM. Strengthening these instruments through stable, multi-annual support packages that combine on-farm practices with advisory services, investment support, and knowledge exchange can significantly improve uptake.
Other important priorities include addressing the technology and equipment gap through funding for testing, demonstration, and investment support; strengthening Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) to enhance advisory capacity, training, and knowledge exchange; and promoting cooperation mechanisms that enable farmers to access shared machinery and technology services.
The briefs also emphasise the need to simplify the implementation and monitoring of CAP measures, improve coherence between Pillar I and Pillar II instruments, and better align policy tools with the specific families of NCWM techniques identified through OPER8 research. While complementary measures such as consumer information or labelling initiatives may raise awareness, the briefs underline that the most effective way to scale up NCWM adoption is through the strategic mobilisation of CAP policy instruments.
Together, these policy briefs provide valuable insights for policymakers, farmers, advisors, and researchers working towards more resilient, productive, and environmentally responsible agricultural systems across Europe.
