The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has presented a bold vision to transform the EU’s agriculture, fisheries and food systems to better resist crises while ensuring sustainability. The opinion “Fostering sustainable and resilient food systems in times of crisis”, requested by the Hungarian Presidency, was adopted during the October plenary. With a focus on food security, a fair income for producers, environmental resilience and the next generation of food producers, these proposals offer the EU a clear path to building a food system that not only survives challenges and to continuous crises, but which thrives in the long term. .
The EESC envisions a competitive, crisis-resistant food system aligned with the EU’s environmental and social objectives. “Guaranteeing stable and sustainable incomes for producers is essential, as is fostering a food policy based on knowledge and encouraging innovation,” said Arnold Puech d’Alissac, president of the World Farmers’ Organization and one of the three rapporteurs. of the opinion. To support this vision, the EESC advocates a new policy model aimed at strengthening the negotiating position of the agricultural sector in the food chain when it comes to price negotiations, as well as an increase in the budget for adequate financing of EU agriculture and fishing.
The EESC insists that future trade agreements should incorporate Green Deal and farm-to-fork standards to ensure fair competition and maintain high food quality, thereby aligning global trade with EU sustainability goals. the EU.
“Guaranteeing a fair income for primary producers is essential,” underlined Piroska Kallay, rapporteur from Hungary. “We need to see farmers as part of the solution and not the problem,” she added. Stricter enforcement of unfair trading practices and standardization of their application at EU level as well as the introduction of a ban on below-cost selling are necessary measures to rebalance power in the food supply chain.
In order to sustain the food system for future generations, the EESC recommends policies that promote generational renewal, particularly targeting young people and women. This includes education, training and support for cooperatives and community-assisted agriculture, which build resilience by distributing economic risks and rewards more equitably among producers.
The EESC also recommends rewarding carbon sequestration efforts in agriculture, such as sustainable soil management, while implementing policies to prevent carbon leakage. “These measures would help align food production with EU climate targets and global environmental commitments,” said Joe Healy, Ireland’s rapporteur.
In response to the growing threat of climate-related disasters, the EESC proposes a Europe-wide public insurance system, supported by public investments, to protect producers against natural disasters such as floods or crop failures, thus guaranteeing the continuity of the food supply.
Sustainable soil and water management is essential for long-term productivity. The EESC calls for policies to regenerate and restore soil health, increase water efficiency and reduce water consumption, all essential steps to maintaining resilience in the face of climate pressures.
Furthermore, the EESC calls for reducing administrative formalities throughout the food chain in order to streamline processes and increase transparency. Regulating trade flows and creating a digitized data center for tracking prices and costs will help avoid market disruptions and improve the transparency of food supply chains.
Finally, the EESC reiterates its previous proposals to create a European Food Policy Council (EFPC) to strengthen dialogue on food-related issues. This platform would bring together diverse stakeholders to align food policy with broader social and environmental goals, ensuring a coherent approach to EU food systems. The EESC notes with satisfaction the similar proposal contained in the report of the strategic dialogue on the future of European agriculture.
The EESC’s proposals provide a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen EU food systems, making them more resilient, sustainable and equitable in the face of a growing global challenge. (THANKS)
Originally published in The European Times.
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