Just a few weeks before the publication of its much-anticipated ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy, the European Commission is fine-tuning the final and most sensitive details (see EUROPE 12428/4).
The latest leaked document circulating in the European institutions does not, at this stage, yet set a quantified target for reducing the use of plant protection products.
The text confirms, however, the need to reopen the debate on new plant breeding techniques and the use of processed animal proteins for feeding non-ruminants.
According to the latest version of its draft ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy, which should be adopted at the end of March (on the 25th or more likely on the 31st), the European Commission has still not set any quantified targets for reducing the use of plant protection products between 2017 and 2030, the use of antibiotics and the areas under organic farming to be reached. For the moment, these three objectives are still credited with an ‘X%’.
Consistency to be found with the Biodiversity Strategy. The Commission's Biodiversity Strategy, which will also be published at the end of March as part of the ‘European Green Deal’, foresees the following quantified targets at this stage (see EUROPE 12422/1): 30% organic farming in 10 years, 10% of land devoted to non-productive elements and 20 billion euros of investments combining several funds, including those from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
As to pesticides, a 50% reduction in risk and use of these substances used to control organisms considered harmful is foreseen. The Commission also proposes to achieve neutrality in land degradation by 2030.
The ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy document, still under discussion in the Commission, foresees a number of initiatives to be taken in the coming months. The strategy is broadly aimed at ensuring food safety, reducing the consumption of pesticides and fertilizers, combating antimicrobial resistance, supporting innovation and improving consumer information.
“Ambitious” strategic plans for the CAP. The CAP reform proposal aims to support a more result-oriented agricultural model, with better use of data, improved mandatory sustainability standards, better monitoring and more voluntary measures, the draft strategy recalls. And to specify that, in this framework, “the Commission will work with Member States to ensure that the national strategic plans for the CAP post-2020 are part of a concerted and ambitious approach, particularly with regard to pesticides, fertilizers and antibiotics”.
The text confirms the Commission's intention to prepare a revision of the Directive on the sustainable use of pesticides to reduce dependence on synthetic molecules (to be carried out by the Directorate-General for Health) as well as a strategy to reduce over-fertilization of soils (prepared in collaboration between the Directorates-Generals for Environment and Agriculture).
Animal welfare and processed animal proteins. Regarding animal welfare, the Commission will evaluate existing Community legislation with the goal of revising it. The Commission states in the text that it will reinforce its controls in the Member States and will designate two additional Community reference centres to improve enforcement of the legislation.
In addition, in order to better monitor the implementation of Community rules, a baseline and indicators on key animal welfare provisions will be defined, the draft strategy states.
The rules banning processed animal protein for feeding to non-ruminants should be revised “to promote circularity, while ensuring food safety and animal health”. And in order to reduce the environmental impact of animal production, the Commission announces that it will “facilitate the placing on the market of innovative feed additives that help reduce the carbon footprint, water pollution and methane emissions of livestock”.
The European Commission assures that it is ready to submit a proposal, if appropriate, on new genomic selection techniques, once their status under EU law has been assessed.
Competition rules. With its ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy, the Commission also plans to boost the production and use of sustainable and new raw materials and foodstuffs, such as insects and algae, through the revision of legislation and a strategy on algae.
Another commitment is to support producers in their environmental transition, including clarifying competition rules for collective initiatives promoting sustainability in supply chains and “helping producers to capture a fair share of the value added of sustainable products”.
An action plan on food fraud will also be proposed as well as EU targets for reducing food waste, following the establishment of harmonized EU control of food waste levels. The EU is aiming to reduce food waste by 30% by 2025 and 50% by 2050 as part of the ‘Waste Directives’ revision (see EUROPE 12024/25).
Finally, the Commission could propose new regulatory measures “to minimize the risk of deforestation and forest degradation associated with food products” imported into the EU market.
On all of these points, and in particular the objectives for reducing the use of plant protection products, the final trade-offs are in progress. Verdict expected in late March.
Link to the draft strategy as seen by EUROPE: http://bit.ly/3ceci25 (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)