“Europe’s food supply chain will work closely together to ensure everybody in Europe continues to have access to safe, quality and affordable food and drink products during the coronavirus pandemic” says a statement issued on Thursday 19 March by Copa-Cogeca, FoodDrinkEurope and CELCAA (European Liaison Committee for Agricultural and Agri-Food Trade).
They emphasise the importance of a well-functioning food supply chain to help in the fight against the pandemic and to “guarantee food security for our citizens”.
After the emergency measures taken by EU Member States, “our members are reporting increasing difficulties in their business operations” (delays and disruptions at country borders for the delivery of certain products, hindrances to the movement of workers, possible labour shortages).
The organisations call on the European Commission to work with them and “do everything in its power” (with a consistent and clear strategy) to ensure an uninterrupted flow of agricultural produce, food and drink products and packaging materials (e.g. through 'greenlanes').
Solutions are also called for to “prevent and manage labour shortages so that the food supply chain is able to function effectively”.
The organisations: - welcome the Commission's recent guidelines on border management, but regret the “serious disruptions” that remain; - urge the Commission to work with the Member States to “explore ways to support the agri-food sector which has already, and will continue to, come under immense financial pressures”; - urge the Commission to work with Member States to “monitor the potential lack of workers (including seasonal workers) and the knock-on impact on production and to prepare contingency plans”; - urge the Commission to monitor the price of raw materials and transport as well as unfair trading practices and to ensure any actions are science-led.
Finally, they reiterate that there is “no evidence” that food is a likely source or route of transmission of the virus (see EUROPE 12443/8).
Link to the press release: http://bit.ly/3b4AjqQ Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)