The European Commission is expected to present on 1 July an ambitious plan aimed at strengthening the Union’s resilience and strategic autonomy in the field of plant proteins.
According to a draft communication obtained by Agence Europe, the Commission proposes encouraging farmers to grow more pulses, soya, rapeseed and sunflower, through financial support and risk management tools built into the future common agricultural policy (CAP) after 2027.
The measures under consideration include transition payments intended to cover the costs linked to the adoption of new crops (machinery, training, temporary losses of profitability), stronger support through coupled support and agri-environment-climate measures for protein-rich crops, as well as the development of varieties adapted to climate change, in particular drought- and disease-resistant varieties.
The objective is to increase the share of EU-produced proteins used in animal feed from 25% in 2025 to 35% in 2035. The Commission thus intends to reduce dependence on imports of soya and oilseed meal. The EU currently imports 13.9 million tonnes of plant proteins per year, mainly in the form of soya and oilseed meal, from Brazil (4.63 million tonnes), Argentina (3.21 million tonnes) and the United States (1.96 million tonnes).
Several options are being put forward to limit this dependence: - diversification of sources: strengthening partnerships with Ukraine, whose plant protein production (13.5 million tonnes) could reduce the European deficit from 13.9 million tonnes to 4.7 million tonnes if the country joined the EU; - alignment of standards: requiring imported products to comply with European environmental and health standards, notably through the Regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR) and a revision of the rules on pesticides; - support for local production of food supplements: a study on dependencies on vitamins and amino acids (currently imported 90% from Asia), with relocation projects through the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF).
The Commission also wants to optimise animal feed and make better use of co-products. In particular, it proposes promoting local feed (contracts between farmers and industry to secure outlets, voluntary labels certifying the use of non-GMO fodder). The use of co-products would also be encouraged: rapeseed and sunflower oilseed meal from biofuel production already accounts for 47% of oilseed meal used in animal feed, and its use should help reduce CO2 emissions linked to soya imports.
The plan also provides for promotion campaigns highlighting pulses (lentils, chickpeas). In school canteens, the objective would be to include more plant proteins on menus.
The idea of a tax lever is also mentioned in order to encourage Member States to apply reduced VAT rates to products rich in plant proteins. The Commission also suggests prioritising local, protein-rich products in public procurement.
As regards innovation, new funding is being considered for alternative proteins (fermentation, algae, insects), technologies for making use of agricultural waste (protein extraction from grass) and the bioeconomy.
Draft communication: https://aeur.eu/f/mhd (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)