On Tuesday 19 September, the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee is expected to consider that at present there is a need for “further knowledge of the socio-economic, environmental and health impact” of cell-based food production and that additional assessments are therefore necessary.
The Parliament’s Agriculture Committee will vote on a draft report by Emma Wiesner (Renew Europe, Swedish) calling on the European Commission to launch a protein strategy. In her draft opinion, the rapporteur delivered a favourable opinion on cell-based meat (see EUROPE 13138/11).
According to one of the compromise amendments, Parliament notes that cell-based foods are entering certain national markets around the world and that applications could soon be submitted in the EU too. A better understanding of the impact of cell-based food production is therefore needed.
Another compromise amendment states that insects, if they meet high safety standards, could be considered as an “alternative source of protein, particularly for organic and conventional animal nutrition”, thus helping to reduce the EU’s protein deficit.
The Commission is urged to present an “ambitious protein strategy” covering the sustainable production and consumption of all types of protein (plant and animal) in the EU.
Link to the compromise amendments: https://aeur.eu/f/8k4 (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)