In an own-initiative opinion approved at its October plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) highlighted the many benefits of an EU green strategy to develop the production of plant proteins and oils.
The German rapporteur for the opinion, Lutz Ribbe, told the plenary that the EU “is highly dependent on feed imports, with 75% of its high-protein plants sourced from abroad”.
The expansion of oil crops in the EU could have positive spin-offs such as self-sufficiency in fuel for tractors, increased crop rotation and a better supply of oilseed cake, which is an excellent protein feed.
The EESC believes that the EU plant protein and oil strategy should also contribute to the sustainable development of rural areas.
Given the limited agricultural land available in the EU, there is an urgent need for a study on the potential and share of land across Europe for protein and oil crops that can be grown sustainably, the EESC recommends.
Link to the opinion: https://aeur.eu/f/3vx (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)