Sustainable food systems
Commission upholds highly ambitious targets to transform EU food system
After several delays, the EU's new flagship food policy was finally released on Wednesday (20 May), confirming the aspiration of the EU executive to transform the European way of producing, distributing and consuming food.
Agriculture has fundamental role to play in fighting climate change, says French socialist MEP
In an interview with EURACTIV's partner Le Journal de l'environnement, French socialist MEP Éric Andrieu (S&D) said that climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic make it necessary to put agriculture back at the heart of the debate and to change the agricultural model with targeted tools and resources.
COVID-19 could be ‘straw that breaks meat industry’s back’ says new report
Nearly three-quarters of the world’s largest meat, fish and dairy companies have been graded as a ‘high' pandemic risk and criticised for their inability to prevent the emergence of new zoonotic diseases in a new report released on Wednesday (3 June).
Food security again under EU spotlight in the wake of COVID-19 crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic has left its mark on the EU's new food policy, as the Farm to Fork strategy (F2F), presented on Wednesday (20 May), demonstrated a renewed interest in food security to ensure the supply during crises of any nature.
What has COVID-19 changed for the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy?
What has COVID-19 changed for the EU's Farm to Fork Strategy? Nothing apart from underlining the urgency of transforming our food systems, write Nick Jacobs, Celia Nyssens and Nikolai Pushkarev.
Kyriakides: No mandatory front-of-pack labelling in the Farm to Fork
Food Safety Commissioner Stella Kyriakides scaled back the ambition of the EU's new food policy during a meeting with agriculture MEPs on Monday (11 May), revealing that it will not provide a compulsory EU-wide nutritional food label scheme.
New EU food policy to be presented in two weeks
After being delayed twice, the European Commission is ready to unveil on 20 May its much-awaited food policy, the Farm to Fork Strategy (F2F), according to its weekly 'indicative' agenda.
Farm to Fork: Consumer power
Our collective survival cannot depend on individual consumer choices. Food policy is too important to be left to the companies that make and market our food. Real change will only come through clearer, bolder EU-wide targets and measures to lessen the environmental and health impacts of what we eat, writes Thilo Bode.
EU-wide food label should not fall to the back-burner, say advocates
Advocates for an EU-wide mandatory Nutri-score food label want the European Commission not to overlook the long-awaited harmonisation of front-of-pack nutritional labelling, despite the focus on tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.
EU’s ‘farm to fork’ strategy establishes itself in France due to COVID-19 crisis
The European strategy, which was intended to favour short distribution routes, has been postponed to a later date. However, the current COVID-19 health crisis is speeding up the agricultural sector's shift towards food self-sufficiency. EURACTIV France reports.
Timmermans: Farm to fork strategy delayed by couple of weeks, not months
European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans assured MEPs that the new EU Food policy and biodiversity strategy might be delayed by several weeks but no longer, after the launch was pushed back until 29 April.
Commission confirms new schedule for Farm to Fork strategy
The launch date of the much-awaited new EU food policy, the Farm to Fork strategy (F2F), is currently under review and an updated programme is due to the published in the coming weeks, a Commission official told EURACTIV.com.
EFSA report offers snapshot into pesticide residues on food
EFSA published its annual report on pesticide residues found in food in the European Union on Thursday (2 April) which found that the food commodities analysed were “unlikely to pose concern for consumer health.”
Innovation spurred by COVID-19 crisis highlights ‘potential of small-scale farmers’
the recent coronavirus outbreak has put an enormous strain on the EU whole agri-food sector and especially on small-scale producers. However, farmers have been rapidly innovating to create novel means of selling their produce to keep themselves afloat.
EPP calls for further postponement of Farm to Fork strategy
The European People's Party (EPP) group has called for another postponement of the planned Farm to Fork Strategy (F2F) until at least after the summer, citing the "crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic", but its position has been met with criticism from some stakeholders.
COVID-19: France calls unemployed to work in fields as borders stay closed
The French government has called on the technically unemployed French to make themselves available to help farmers with seasonal harvests. But such 'agricultural patriotism' does not bode well with the tightening of containment. EURACTIV France reports.
Embracing innovation for a stable and secure food supply
Amid the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic, Europe must invest in innovation to enhance food security, as the ongoing crisis has laid bare the vulnerabilities of our seemingly strong system, writes Igor Teslenko.
Coronavirus puts on hold unveiling of new EU food policy
The launch of the new EU food policy, the Farm 2 Fork strategy (F2F), will be delayed at least by another month in light of a rescheduling of the Commission's work programme due to coronavirus outbreak.
EU’s draft food policy to address livestock farming emissions, animal welfare
The latest draft of the Farm to Fork strategy (F2F), obtained by EURACTIV, features a few notable changes from the previous version, including an emphasis on the possible role of animal farming in the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and on options for animal welfare labelling.
No needless overlap between F2F and circular economy plans, Sinkevicius says
EU environment chief Virginijus Sinkevičius insists there will be no unnecessary overlap between the new circular economy plan and the Farm to Fork strategy (F2F), as new EU food policy will be focused more on the agricultural and food production side.
LEAK: EU’s Farm to Fork strategy will be based on five key targets
In addition to longstanding objectives like the reduction of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, the European Commission envisages setting three more targets in its new flagship food policy, EURACTIV can reveal.
Food supplements for healthier citizens and a stronger economy in the EU
Food supplements can improve public health and reduce pressure on the sustainability of healthcare systems in the EU. However, to achieve the full potential of the sector, the EU needs a clear political strategy and stable legislative framework write MEPs Simona Bonafè and Pascal Arimont.
Nestlé chief: EU’s Green Deal should ensure prosperity too
The announced EU food policy should also strive to create future prosperity for businesses in good harmony with the environment, not only to take policies against some parts of the food value chain, Nestlé Europe chief Marco Settembri told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
Commission wants ‘realistic targets’ for pesticide, fertilisers cuts- Kyriakides
Speaking before the parliamentary committee on the Environment (ENVI), Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides confirmed that the new EU food policy, the Farm 2 Fork Strategy (F2F), will feature legislative actions too and that there will be specific targets for the reduction of both risk and use of pesticides.