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Confédération Européenne des Entrepreneurs de Travaux Techniques Agricoles, Ruraux et Forestiers/ European Organisation of Agricultural, Rural and Forestry Contractors / Europäischer Zentralverband der Lohnunternehmer

CEETTAR

CEETTAR is the European organization representing agricultural, rural, and forestry contractors.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Johannes Van Den Bossche (Cabinet of Commissioner Christophe Hansen)

22 Sept 2025 · Presentation of CEETTAR

CEETTAR backs digital machinery manuals but demands original documentation access

26 Jun 2025
Topic — EU consultation on updating product legislation to allow digital documentation for agricultural machinery.
Message — CEETTAR supports moving to digital documentation for agricultural machinery to improve accessibility. However, they insist users must always be able to access the original, unchanged documentation. This is essential for maintaining safety standards and legal operation on public roads.123
Why — Digital formats improve accessibility for dyslexic operators and those of different nationalities.4
Impact — Manufacturers lose the power to avoid warranty costs by retroactively changing digital manuals.5
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Meeting with Antonella Rossetti (Cabinet of Commissioner Christophe Hansen)

15 Apr 2025 · Exchange of views on the reform of the Common Agriculture Policy and farmers’ wellbeing

Meeting with Mairead McGuinness (Commissioner)

21 Mar 2024 · Introductory meeting with CEETTAR providing an overview of their work.

Response to CO2 emission class of heavy-duty vehicles with trailers

16 May 2023

CEETTAR, the European Organisation of Agriculture, Rural and Forestry Contractors, supports the goal of reducing CO2 emission of heavy-duty vehicles by 90 % by 2040; The sector has been working for years on the optimisation of its performances, by using heavier vehicle types in order to decrease the number of times the vehicle needs to be used at the same place. This logistic improvement requires the driving of non-road mobile vehicles (NRMM) and tractors optimised to minimise the CO2 footprint (such as low tire pressure in wide tires). The logistic improvement can also lead to a wider use of trucks, under certain circumstances. For this reason, though agricultural, forestry and mining works are exempted from the regulation, we need additional guarantees that the exemption criteria are based on the activity itself, and not on the type of vehicle used; Despite some technical progress, transition to new propulsion systems (e.g. electricity, hydrogen) will take longer for larger combined transport vehicles than for smaller ones. Therefore, renewable fuels shall be considered in the calculation of emission reduction targets. Any technology, fuels and operational practices should be counted when assessing the sectors contribution to decarbonisation; Expanding the scope of the regulation to trailers will increase the cost of the emission reporting management. The reporting system will be financed by the new collected taxes and it will be progressively reduced as trailers emission efficiency improves. However, strengthening infrastructure to facilitate a significant reduction of CO2 emissions by public and non-public transport should not be limited to urban areas. Resources should also be mobilised for rural areas for electrification. Unfortunately, tax collected will be insufficient to finance this electrification; Adapting the vehicles fleet to the new emission regulation will require new vehicle production and destruction of the current vehicle fleet, which will increase the total CO2 emission; Finally, there is a shortage of skilled labour workforce to ensure a smooth green transition. CEETTAR welcomes the European Commission funding efforts to upskill and reskill Europes workforce.
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Response to Road circulation requirements for mobile machinery

4 May 2023

CEETTAR represents the interests of agriculture, rural and forestry contactors in Europe. CEETTAR welcomes the harmonisation proposal, which will make trade of machinery, including for second hand machinery, easier and facilitate the cross border provision of services for contractors. Beyond market surveillance, two additional subjects deserve to be broached. - Alternative Fuel: for contractors, any limitation of machinery use, stemming from the single argument that these machine function with fuel whether conventional or alternative, will imply a limitation of their activities. In the end, this is the death of the sector. In its opinion on the Fit for 55 package (see: https://ceettar.eu/publications.php?item=113&cat=4&year=2022), CEETTAR mentioned that no practical alternatives to the combustion engine are yet in sight for machinery used by land-based contractors. Evidence show that E-fuels and biogenic energy sources have the same or even better properties as fossil fuels in terms of efficiency and work economy. Above all, they are CO2 neutral and almost emission-free in modern combustion engines. - Creation of an EU-wide driving licence for agriculture machinery: once the NRMM Regulation is adopted, the question will eventually be raised to know what kind of driving licence will be required to drive non-road mobile machinery. CEETTAR considers that the option to require a C Truck Driving Licence is too demanding. In the current skilled labour shortage environment, imposing high restrictions will make it even more difficult to attract new talent to the sector. For this reason, CEETTAR proposes the creation of a T Driving Licence for agriculture machinery. The T Licence should be asked for Non Road Mobile Machinery, (see attached document), which would cover this sector for EU cross-border activities. It is important that the licencing requirement apply without discrimination all actors of the agriculture value chain (farmers and contractors included).
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Response to Revision of the Directive on Driving Licences

27 Apr 2023

CEETTAR represents agriculture, rural and forestry contractors in Europe. In 2022, CEETTAR made proposal for a driving licence, which would cover all activities performed in our industry, which is would be recognised by all EU member states for cross-border activities, and which applies without discrimination all actors of the agriculture value chain (farmers and contractors included). In the Commission proposal, CEETTAR deplores the fact that agriculture machinery are still excluded from the mutual recognition directive for driving licence. Although one initially proposed policy option ( number C) was opening a window of opportunity, which would have strongly contributed to reinforce road safety and support SMEs, another policy option has been selected, as considered as requiring lower adjustment costs and legally easier to implement. The CEETTAR proposal for a T Driving Licence wants to fill a gap in the EU legislation, which excludes agriculture machinery from any mutual recognition. However, a majority of these machines are used outside the agricultural sector. Hence, the driving licence should apply both for agriculture and non-agriculture work. CEETTAR proposes to keep the already existing national driving licence (based on already existing national rules) without making it compulsory to implement a new T-driving licence for national agricultural use. However, a Member State will have to accept a driver with an EU driving licence, in the same way as it is today, for all road driving with the machines covered by the scope of the licence, regardless of the sector of activity in which the machines are operating. The EU T-driving licence will foster the free movement of services and employees across borders. It will also improve road safety on all EU roads. Furthermore, in order to lower the costs of licencing, CEETTAR recommends to insert free licensing in educational curricula and to develop automatic licensing for experienced drivers. The CEETTAR position paper ( see attached document, also available at: https://ceettar.eu/publications.php?item=109&cat=4&year=2022 ) presents the state of the current existing EU legislation across the EU and develops into details the modalities of the new T-Licence. CEEETTAR invites all stakeholders and policy-makers to join their efforts to continue promoting the T-Licence in the future.
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CEETTAR urges 30-day payment cap to protect rural contractors

14 Mar 2023
Topic — This consultation reviews EU rules to ensure small businesses receive timely payments.
Message — The group proposes a 30-day payment cap for public procurement supply chains. They also want rules to target large companies with excessive bargaining power.12
Why — Contractors would avoid financing large corporations and better manage their own operating costs.3
Impact — Large firms and local governments lose the benefit of holding onto subcontractor funds.45
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Agricultural contractors warn of costs from electronic pesticide records

3 Nov 2022
Topic — This consultation establishes rules for electronic record-keeping by professional plant protection product users.
Message — CEETTAR is concerned about the additional costs of data recording and the technical complexity of the requirements. They suggest that the volume of data could necessitate the use of advisory services.12
Why — Increased administrative complexity for farmers could lead to more business for professional contractors.3
Impact — Farmers face a more difficult administrative process which may increase their operational expenses.4
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Agricultural contractors urge EU support for precision pesticide techniques

16 Sept 2022
Topic — The European Union is revising rules to reduce the risks of pesticides.
Message — CEETTAR requests that contractors are included in pesticide policies and supported through EU agricultural funding. They propose a smart technology voucher system to fund innovative precision spraying techniques. They also demand equal treatment with farmers regarding pesticide use requirements.123
Why — Contractors gain new business by providing data-driven precision services that ensure environmental compliance.45
Impact — Aerial spraying operators could see reduced demand as ground-based precision technology is favored.6
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Response to Revision of the Directive on Driving Licences

21 May 2021

The European Confederation of Agricultural, Rural and Forestry Contractors – CEETTAR - represents the interests of land-based contractors in Europe. Many EU Member States deliver national T-driving licenses, specifically addressing the driving of tractors and non-road mobile machinery. However, these T-driving licences can only be used for agricultural work, which is creating a major challenge for contractors. Against this background, CEETTAR welcomes the upcoming revision of the EU Directive on Driving Licences, with the two following proposals: 1. Inclusion of non-road mobile machinery vehicles in the scope of the directive The current scope of the Directive 2006/126/EC clearly excludes agriculture and forestry tractors from the definition of motor vehicles. Against this background, the European Commission considers that, the article 4(5) of the Directive 2006/126/EC, allowing the Commission to grant, at the request of a Member State, an exemption of certain types of vehicles, cannot be used to derogate from essential elements of the Directive, such as the scope of this directive. However, the current preliminary assessment of positive impacts mentions the possible new measures taken to improve road safety, such as new categories of vehicles, or in case of indirect increase of the use of certain vehicle types resulting from further harmonisation. Hence, CEETTAR proposes that non-road mobile machinery vehicles, approved as T-category according to type approval rules, may not correspond to ‘agricultural or forestry tractors’ for the purpose of the Driving Licence Directive. 2. The Need to have a T-driving license for non-agricultural use In addition to this, CEETTAR considers it as essential to leave the opportunity to drive vehicles with a specific T-driving license for non-agricultural work. Land-based contractors are performing several activities which are falling outside the scope of agriculture or forestry activities. Usually, contractors’ employees working as drivers cannot be hired for other work with the same machinery. Work such as snow removal or road maintenance outside the agricultural season are not allowed by using agricultural or forestry type vehicles driving licences. In order to ensure a level playing field with other industries, contractors would like to use national T-driving licenses as proof of driving ability, as it is the driving license that has most relevance in driving large, slow-moving machines. Finally, contractors are already facing difficulties in recruiting new skilled workers and there are making a lot effort to promote a better image of the sector. Currently, the majority of national T-driving licenses can be acquired as of 16 year old. If an alternative driving license is required for non-agricultural work, contractors may not be able to recruit young staff under 18. This condition will be extremely harmful for recruiting new generation of workers.
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Response to EU Forest Strategy

2 Dec 2020

CEETTAR - represents the interests of forestry contractors in Europe. CEETTAR believes that the new EU Forestry Strategy must focus on three priorities: preserve the existing situation, plan the future of forests and the forestry industry and improve the governance framework. To nurture the forests that we have in Europe, the strategy should ensure the sustainable management of all EU forests, maximising the provision of their multiple functions while enhancing their productive capacity. In particular, the strategy should decrease the loss of forest coverage, preserve stocks and increase the EU carbon sinks in forests, their soils and harvested wood products. The Strategy should include the prevention of disaster risk events and of damages, secure forest resilience to natural hazards, while supporting the restoration of damaged areas and degraded ecosystems. To plan for the forests of the future, the Strategy should foster afforestation and tree planting by setting out a roadmap for planting at least three billion additional trees in the EU by 2030, as announced in the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, in full respect of ecological principles, contributing to climate neutrality, the circular economy and biodiversity. The Strategy should announce new training opportunities for the sector, to develop skills and offer jobs that reflects the multiple functions of the sector. It should be couples with a strong research and innovation agenda. Finally, to manage the existing and the new forests it will be important to have a strong and inclusive governance framework engaging all relevant stakeholders. A stronger coordination between national forest policies and the European Green Deal’s objectives is necessary, together with a better monitoring of forests to demonstrate the effective contribution of sustainably managed forests to the EU objectives. Coordination also concerns financing instruments. It essential to ensure a consistent approach among different funding opportunities (CAP, Horizon Europe, NextGenerationEU…) and launch innovative financial incentives, including payments for ecosystem services and result-based schemes (‘carbon farming’) for forest managers that provide public goods such as carbon sequestration. In brief, CEETTAR want to emphasize that the European Union can rely on the added value brought by forestry contractors towards an economic, social and environmental sustainable future.
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Response to Sustainable use of pesticides – revision of the EU rules

15 Jun 2020

The European Confederation of Agricultural, Rural and Forestry Contractors – CEETTAR - represents the interests of land-based contractors in Europe. CEETTAR welcomes the combined Evaluation roadmap and Inception Impact Assessment of the SUD. The document presented by the European Commission does not mention contactors at any stage of the evaluation. However, not only farmers are in charge of plant protection processes, but also contractors. The evaluation proposal includes in the assessment of the SUD the “wider application of innovative and precision farming techniques”. The proportion of agricultural land sprayed by contractors using innovative and precision farming techniques is increasing. Contractors contribute to the objectives of making plant protection practices more sustainable by reducing the risks. The evaluation should take into consideration the benefits of the use of innovative and precision spraying techniques by contractors, as well as the possibility offered by the new CAP to foster this trend. As a reminder, CEETTAR and the machinery constructors association CEMA, jointly propose the CAP to set up a new and innovative incentive in the form of a “smart technologies voucher”, to be allocated to farmers and to be released by contractors. CEETTAR welcomes the fact that the likely economic impacts - as presented in the Preliminary Assessment of Expected Impacts – takes into consideration the repercussion of a more stringent application of IPM on “economic operators involved in the distribution and use of pesticides”. Contractors are among these economic operators and CEETTAR would like to have contractors as a separate category identified by the external study. Concisely, the combined evaluation roadmap and inception impact assessment should take into consideration the role of contractors in the revision of the SUD.
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Response to Statistics on Agricultural Input and Output

16 Mar 2020

The European Confederation of Agricultural, Rural and Forestry Contractors – CEETTAR - represents the interests of land-based contractors in Europe. CEETTAR supports the Von der Leyen Commission’s headline ambitions European Green Deal and Farm to Fork Strategy, and wants to be certain to rely on modernised agricultural statistics. CEETTAR shares the Roadmap opinion that the 2020 Strategy for Agricultural Statistics goes in the right direction, as agricultural statistics system needs to be connected to environmental statistics, indicators and accounts and energy statistics. However, the percentage of work done by agricultural contractors, together with their contribution to environmental goals are not taken into consideration in the European agriculture statistics system (EASS). Today, as compared to 2016, technological progress makes it easier to identify the role played by contractors, mostly automatically by data collection from machinery. CEETTAR is pleading for a full recognition of the role of agriculture contractors in agricultural statistics.
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Response to Farm to Fork Strategy

20 Feb 2020

The European Confederation of Agricultural, Rural and Forestry Contractors – CEETTAR - represents the interests of land-based contractors in Europe. By following a holistic and coordinated approach, the ‘Farm to Fork’ Strategy contributes to the formulation of a more sustainable and comprehensive EU food policy. In any case, agriculture and forestry sector – including land-based contractors - play a major role in realising this transition. CEETTAR considers that the farm to fork strategy should include contractors in the food supply chain. By achieving a circular economy, the farm to fork strategy should also include contractors in the agriculture value chain. The current Green Deal proposal only mention farmers and ignores contractors in this matter. The Strategy should make efforts to increase the ability of contractors to strengthen their position in the agriculture value chain and ensure that they have the affordable tools at their disposal to maintain and develop their business in rural area. The proportion of agricultural land sprayed by contractors is increasing. Contractors’ access to innovative spraying machine reduces the exposure to and the use of pesticides in agriculture. Contractors contribute to the objectives of making plant protection practices more sustainable by reducing the risks. The Strategy should also address the skilled labour shortage that contractors are confronted with in rural areas.
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Response to Climate Law

14 Jan 2020

The European Confederation of Agricultural, Rural and Forestry Contractors – CEETTAR - represents the interests of land-based contractors in Europe. CEETTAR supports the European Green Deal and the future Climate Law. We want to ensure a strong agricultural and forestry dimension in the Green Deal by making our activities green, digital and competitive and to guarantee that contractors are also part of this transition. In particular, CEETTAR welcomes the orientation of the new EU forest strategy towards the promotion of the bio-economy, in full respect for ecological principles favourable to biodiversity. To reach these goals, major transformations in agricultural systems, rural economies and forestry work are necessary. CEETTAR, together with CEMA, the association representing the European agricultural machinery industry, proposes the CAP to set up a new and innovative incentive in the form of a “smart technologies voucher”, to be allocated to farmers and forest owners and to be released by contractors. The amount of the annual voucher would be calculated on a given percentage of the total cost of the service representing the precision agriculture part of it. You will find a more detailed description of our proposal annexed to this letter. Farmers and forest owners and contractors’ economic relationship is ruled by principles similar to those underpinning the sharing economy system. By using the equipment and the skilled workforce provided by contractors, all types of farms and forest holdings benefit from the same quality of technology in proportion of their respective size. This allows farms or forest units run by an ageing workforce and small holdings to compete with bigger farms using the most-advanced technologies. The smart technology voucher presentation is available in English and French on the CEETTAR website: https://ceettar.eu/publications.php?item=97&cat=4&year=2019, and in attachment in English.
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Response to EU farm policy - Evaluation of its impact on sustainable management of the soil

6 Aug 2019

The European Confederation of Agricultural, Rural and Forestry Contractors – CEETTAR - represents the interests of land-based contractors in Europe. CEETTAR welcomes the Evaluation roadmap of the Common Agricultural Policy‘s impact on the impact of the EU farm policy on the sustainable management of the soil. The roadmap presented by the European Commission do not mention contactors at any stage of the evaluation. However, not only farmers are in charge of soil management under the CAP, but also contractors. Contractors are among the series of support services to farmers and play an important role in the agriculture value-chain. The evaluation should take into consideration the role of contractors and include them in the list of consulted stakeholders (part B. of the roadmap) as a separate element. Moreover, CEETTAR also represents forestry contractors at EU level. As the data collection and methodology guidelines include the use of the “evaluation study of the forestry measure under rural development”, the role of forestry contractors in this exercise should also be taken into consideration. Concisely, the roadmap should take into consideration the role of contractors in the sustainable management of the soil.
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Response to Ex-post evaluation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (2014-2020)

28 May 2019

The European Confederation of Agricultural, Rural and Forestry Contractors – CEETTAR - represents the interests of land-based contractors in Europe. CEETTAR welcomes the Evaluation roadmap of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund 2014-2020. The roadmap clearly recalls that the aim of the EGF is to support workers made redundant and self-employed persons whose activity have ceased as a result of major structural changes in world trade patterns due to globalisation. CEETTAR considers that all types of companies are concerned by changes. The current general rule, which restricts the use of the EGF to large companies or neighbouring regions is by far too restrictive. As a example, CEETTAR members are currently facing a crisis of the beet industry. Twenty months after the exit of sugar beet quotas, a crisis erupted with a drop in the price of sugar linked to global and European overproduction and the lack of market management in the EU. Beet contractors invest heavily and confidently in specialized equipment, they are paid for sowing, uprooting and skidding by the farmers who order the service from them. The service is carried out on the dates imposed by the sugar factory. In February 2019, many sugar beet factories closed in France, and these brutal announcements totally surprised beet contractors. They mean the disappearance of beet work delegated to beet contractors. The purpose of this illustrative example is to show that a proper ex-post evaluation of the EGF should also take into consideration other possible area of use of the EGF for the future.
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Response to EU agricultural policy : Evaluation of its impact on knowledge exchange and advisory activities

27 May 2019

The European Confederation of Agricultural, Rural and Forestry Contractors – CEETTAR - represents the interests of land-based contractors in Europe. CEETTAR welcomes the Evaluation roadmap of the Common Agricultural Policy ‘s impact on knowledge exchange and advisory activities. The roadmap presented by the European Commission do not mention contactors at any stage of the evaluation. However, not only farmers make use of the knowledge exchange and advisory activities, but also contractors. Contractors themselves bring not only new equipment and labour on the farm yard but also knowledge. The evaluation should take into consideration the role of contractors as a separate element in the knowledge chain. More specifically, the roadmap should include the following elements: • In what way do rural contractors make use of the knowledge exchange and advisory activities? • Are farmers, who do not directly make use of knowledge exchange, benefitting from contractors’ services, when these contractors make of the knowledge exchange and advisory activities? In other words, is there a multiplier effect when contractors made use of the knowledge exchange? In a nutshell, the roadmap should take into consideration that contractors are a not only consumers of knowledge and advisory activities. They are also a knowledge distributor on farms.
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Response to Revision of the Machinery Directive

23 Jan 2019

CEETTAR welcomes the Commission objective to align the machinery directive with some new possibilities concerning Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things. In order to ensure consistency within EU legislation, CEETTAR is in favour of an alignment between The Machinery Directive and the ‘new legislative framework’. However, at this early stage of the revision of the directive process, CEETTAR is of the opinion that option 4 (convert the directive into a regulation) is the best option to secure equal legislation in all EU. We often see that directives are interpreted different across Europe, and that some member states are used to choose the toughest interpretation every time. However, a regulation should not put forward measures whose implementation is too difficult to achieve for some Member states. Finally yet importantly, the Impact Assessment report will have to present enough detailed information to allow stakeholders to comment them during the next consultation phase. About CEETTAR: The European Confederation of Agricultural, Rural and Forestry Contractors, established in 1961, represents about 150,000 companies and nearly 600,000 workers. It aims to represent the interests of land-based contractors in Europe. CEETTAR recently published its Manifesto for the next European elections (more information at: www.ceettar.eu).
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Meeting with Tom Tynan (Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan)

20 Dec 2017 · Business discussion

Response to Road circulation requirements for mobile machinery

18 Dec 2017

Dear Madam, dear Sir, Please below some feedback from the land-based contractors' association. Land-based contractors do not feel any urgent need in a harmonisation of mobile machinery circulation requirements. They have adapted their business to the non-harmonised situation. However a kind of harmonization of technical requirements guaranteeing the conformity of procedures for the road circulation of self-propelled machinery is acceptable and desirable. But harmonization should be restricted to technical issues and should take diversity of national situations into consideration. Weather conditions in Northern Finland and in French Landes are not same though the same machinery could be used; as a result stringent Finnish requirements linked to temperatures going to - 30 degrees is not relevant in France. Spatial planning in Denmark and in Poland are quite different and should continue to have a different impact on the requirements for the circulation of machinery. Harmonisation aims at saving costs. At European level, it will give benefits to machine and equipment manufacturers, as harmonisation usually is decreasing bureaucratic burden from manufacturers shoulders as wel as overlapping certification work in the EU Member States. Does this kind of harmonization give some benefits to agricultural and forestry contractors? By reducing the administrative burdens and facilitating the work of manufacturers, one could expect the decrease in cost to be passed on to the price of the machinery. Morever, such an harmonisation could make crossborder trade of machinery (even for second hand machinery) easier, and consequently increase competition between manufacturers with a positive influence on prices. However, in reality, it is hardly what happens, therefore contractors doubt to see a reduction of the prices of the machinery. Many 'good' reasons could be found to explain (other burdening legislation, such as level of emissions, new technologies....). Crossborder activities do however exist (in particular for contractors located in areas close to the borders) and should be taken into consideration by the European institutions when assessing the impact of the possible scenarios. Harmonisation could facilitate the crossborder provision of services for contractors. Despite the limited number of companies concerned, this is in our view an real argument in favour of harmonisation. Our organisation remains of course available for any additional comments and details, you consider might consider relevant.
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Meeting with Shane Sutherland (Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan)

24 Oct 2017 · Event Planning

Meeting with Shane Sutherland (Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan)

3 Oct 2017 · Forestry

Meeting with Shane Sutherland (Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan)

2 May 2017 · Forestry

Meeting with Shane Sutherland (Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan)

26 Apr 2017 · Coated Fine Paper

Meeting with Carl-Christian Buhr (Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan)

27 Jan 2015 · General presentation of CEETTAR's activities. Presentation and disucssion of arguments against supporting farmers in acquiring machinery too large for their holdings. Relations between CEETTAR and the agriculture machinery sector.