Document type: Press release from the European Parliament
Authors: Thomas Haahr, Gediminas Vilkas
Preview: MEPs present plans revamping the EU’s food systems, to produce healthier food, ensure food security, a fair income for farmers and reduce agriculture’s environmental footprint.
The Parliament welcomes the strategy " From farm to fork "and stresses the importance of ensuring access to sustainable and healthy food in order to achieve the objectives of the European Green Pact in terms of climate, biodiversity, pollution and public health.
MEPs highlighted the need for enhanced sustainability at every step of the food supply chain and reiterated that everyone - from farmer to consumer - has a role to play in this. To ensure that farmers can earn a fair share of the profit made from sustainably produced food, MEPs want the Commission to reinforce efforts - including through the adaptation of competition rules - to strengthen the position of farmers in the supply chain.
Other recommendations include:
Healthier food
- EU science-based recommendations for healthy diets, including a mandatory EU front-of-pack nutritional label
- Overconsumption of meat and highly processed foods with high salt, sugar and fat content must be addressed, including by setting maximum intake levels.
Pesticides and protection of pollinators
- Improvement of the pesticides approval process and better monitoring of implementation to protect pollinators and biodiversity;
- Binding reduction targets for pesticide use. Member states should implement targets through their CAP strategic plans.
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
- Ambitious targets for emissions from agriculture and land use, governed and set by the package " . Fit for 55 in 2030" . These targets include strict criteria for renewable energy from biomass;
- Natural carbon sinks must be restored and enhanced.
Animal welfare
- Need for common, science-based animal welfare indicators for stronger pan-EU harmonisation
- Current EU legislation must be evaluated to see if changes are needed
- gradual end to the use of cages in EU animal farming
- Non-EU animal products should be allowed only if their standards are EU-aligned.
Organic farming
- EU's organic land should be increased by 2030
- Need for initiatives - promotion, public procurement and fiscal - to stimulate demand.
Next steps
The resolution was adopted with 452 votes in favour, 170 against and 76 abstentions. The vote took place on Tuesday with results announced on Wednesday. You can watch the debate here.
The Commission is planning a number of legislative proposals as part of the "farm to table" strategy. MEPs stress the need for ex-ante scientific impact assessments of any such proposal and, during the plenary, many regretted the Commission's late publication of the debate Many in the plenary regretted the Commission's late publication of the report Joint Research Centre's report on the impact of the farm-to-table strategy.
