On Wednesday 24 February, the European Parliament’s agriculture committee criticised the forthcoming changes in the EU’s policy to promote agricultural products to the detriment of products considered less sustainable, such as wine or red meat (see EUROPE 12656/11).
Wolfgang Burtscher, Director-General of DG Agriculture at the European Commission, presented ideas on the future policy for the promotion of agricultural products.
The Commission favours organic products and wants to reduce the promotion of red meat and wine consumption.
Paolo de Castro (S&D, Italy) questioned the Commission’s decision to devote 50% of the 2021 budget (for promotion) to organic products.
“No sector should be abandoned”, estimated Anne Sander (EPP, France), referring to wine. “If our products are not promoted, there is a risk that European consumers will turn to products from third countries whose levels of sustainability are much lower than EU products”, she said.
Irène Tolleret (Renew Europe, France) castigated a new policy that “will destroy the results of the wine and red meat industry by favouring imports from third countries that practice organic agriculture”.
Mr Burtscher explained that the 2021 work programme (see EUROPE 12625/5) not only focuses on organic, but also on other sustainable products (fruit and vegetables, products under geographical indications).
“The budget is limited, we have to focus on sectors with high added value”, he explained.
For wine, the Commission promotes quality schemes. “The question arises as to how we are going to do this in the future”, acknowledged the Director General.
On red meat, Mr Burtscher recalled that the action plan against cancer favours a diet with more plants, “with less red meat, and a balance will have to be found”. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)