Key achievements advancing the sector include; leading programs for workforce development, renewable energy adoption, CEA certification frameworks, and knowledge-sharing.
In 2026, FTS published its executive position paper on the EU's Climate Resilience Framework for 2027 to 2032. It brings together three converging tracks (on-farm renewable energy, CEA ecosystems on brownfield land, and the regenerative transition of commodity farms) under a One Health lens, and calls for comparable EU standards, the FarmTronix skills pathway, brownfield incentives and Living Lab pilots.
Learn moreIn January 2023, FTS Secretary-General Thomas Zoellner and Festo Didactic's Nader Imani published this article in EU Tech Vision, positioning CEA as a driver of green jobs within Europe's Green Deal. It sets out a public-private roadmap for industry-validated training, micro-credentials, and international workforce collaboration in CEA.
Learn moreThe congress, organized by FTS, brought together international industry leaders, researchers, investors, and policymakers. The event fostered collaboration, promoted the integration of the circular economy, and spurred essential policy dialogue around the future of CEA.
Learn moreIn 2020, FTS responded to the European Commission's "Farmers of the Future" foresight study, which left greenhouse and CEA growers out of its twelve farmer profiles. The position paper made the case for recognising high-tech greenhouse and CEA production in EU policy discussions and affirmed FTS as the registered industry association representing CEA at the EU institutions.
Learn moreBuilding the CEA workforce through practical hydroponics education and standardized competencies. The ERASMUS+ PonicsVET project is an industry-driven initiative led by FTS and partners.
Learn moreSupporting renewable energy integration, RE-Greenhouse is an EU-funded Interreg North-West Europe project. FTS and 10 partners across five countries have come together to accelerate the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy in greenhouse horticulture.
Learn moreFTS engaged with GLOBALG.A.P. to advance international certification and food safety frameworks tailored to the CEA sector. FTS worked to align CEA systems with evolving agricultural certification requirements through industry coordination, standards dialogue, and benchmarking.
Learn moreFTS has developed the CEA Lounge as a trusted environment for industry collaboration. Knowledge Exchange is the flagship CEA Lounge Program. It connects professionals through expert-led sessions and interactive discussion.
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