This week, EURACTIV’s agrifood team talks about the Commission’s reluctance to commit to a timeline for the EU chemicals regulation, REACH, and how changes in the temporary state aid framework will impact farmers. We also explore the launch of the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) network and what this means in practice with the help of its newly appointed team leader, David Lamb, as well as David Armellini, in charge of the rural agenda in the French national agency of territorial cohesion. We also speak to Santeri Rahkamaa about the most pessimistic town in Finland and how one innovative rural project has turned this pessimism into a positive marketing tool.