The first Executive Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of the Green Deal, Frans Timmermans, declared, on 5 May, in an interview with Mediapart, that there will be “no hunger in Europe because of the war in Ukraine”, even if he acknowledged “price problems”.
Frans Timmermans defends his vision of food sovereignty. He explained, in particular, that the EU wastes at least 20% of its production. “If we reduced grain wastage - which accounts for half of Ukraine’s grain exports - we would gain huge amounts. Finally, when we see the extent to which our crops are used to feed animals and not humans, we need to rethink this system”.
He did not say that livestock farming should be reduced, but that one should not use the argument that “we have a food shortage in Europe and ask for more land when it is almost exclusively used for livestock farming. There is no shortage!”
Mr Timmermans assured that the “Farm to Fork” strategy will not lead to higher prices or lower agricultural production. He criticised the position of Copa-Cogeca (see EUROPE 12942/6). “For the past 40 or 50 years, Copa-Cogeca members have been used to having their own turf”, he regrets, assuring that he wants to “be an ally of the farms”. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)