The BrightSpace project’s Work Package 4 (WP4) held an online meeting on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, to discuss the latest updates on empirical research, plan for the upcoming BrightSpace Annual Meeting in Seville, and organize revision efforts for a literature review paper submitted to Q-Open. This session provided a platform for WP4 researchers to align on critical research tasks and coordinate upcoming publications and policy discussions.
Key Outcomes of the Meeting
1. Updates on Empirical Research
The WP4 team reviewed the ongoing empirical research in three main areas, all contributing essential evidence on the impact of various agricultural and environmental policies:
- T4.1 Impact of CAP Tools
In this task led by UCSC research teams are actively conducting several pieces of analyses on various CAP tools using advanced methodologies, including:- UCSC’s work on the ex-post impact of agri-environmental schemes and organic farming using machine learning (ML) techniques.
- INRAE’s assessment of low-input agriculture impacts through multicrop models, and evaluations of greening payments, LFA payments, and first pillar payments related to farm structural changes.
- CZU’s analysis of agri-environmental schemes through production function models
- PLAB’s evaluation of biodiversity impacts from agri-environmental payments using remote sensing data.
- T4.2 EU and International Trade Policies
In this task led by CITA, IAASA is examining the effects of non-tariff measures (NTMs) on trade leakages and their impact on SJOS dimensions, and CITA on sustainability issues related to NTMs. CITA and INRAE are also focusing on NTMs’ impact on trade patterns and international regulatory cooperation, respectively. - T4.3 Environmental and Climate Policies
UCSC leads research on the ex-post evaluation of climate-related payment schemes with ML techniques, alongside UNIBO’s work on how agri-environmental policies impact crop choices.
The synthesis phase (T4.4), which will integrate insights from these empirical works, is scheduled to begin following the completion of the individual studies. WP4 expects to publish individual working papers from these studies, along with policy briefs based on synthesis findings, by April 2026.
2. Discussion Topics for BrightSpace Annual Meeting in Seville
The meeting included preparations for topics to be addressed at the upcoming BrightSpace Annual Meeting on November 5-6, 2024, in Seville. Notable agenda items for cross-WP meetings on November 5 and the “Policy Options and Scenarios” session on November 6 include:
- Coordination of empirical insights across work packages to refine policy options and model scenarios.
- Collaborative discussions on policy impacts, ensuring alignment with BrightSpace’s overarching research objectives.
3. Literature Review Paper Revisions
The team planned the revision process for the WP4 literature review paper, which is currently under review with Q-Open. We outlined next steps to address reviewer feedback and enhance the paper’s contributions to existing literature on agricultural and environmental policies.
This productive session reinforced WP4’s commitment to delivering evidence-based insights into agricultural policy impacts, trade, and climate. The meeting outcomes support BrightSpace’s overarching goals of shaping sustainable EU agricultural practices and policies.
