To help consumers to make healthier food choices, the European Commission wants producers of foods and drinks to display clear nutritional information on the front-of-pack. But this may not be so simple… Some Member States have already introduced their own labelling schemes to mark “healthy” products but will the EU win the battle at European scale?

EPRS policy podcast - Nutrition labelling schemes used in Member States

While commonly consumed in many parts of the world, insects have long been off the menu in Europe…but they could soon be creeping their way onto our plates! With Europe’s focus shifting towards a more sustainable agri-food sector, entomophagy, the practice of eating insects, is now gaining serious interest… But are Europeans ready for an insect-based diet?

EPRS STOA podcast - What if insects were on the menu in Europe?

Launched in 1962, the EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP) is a partnership between agriculture and society, and between Europe and its farmers. It aims to: support farmers and improve agricultural productivity, ensuring a stable supply of affordable food; safeguard European Union farmers to make a reasonable living; help tackle climate change and the sustainable management of natural resources; maintain rural areas and landscapes across the EU; keep the rural economy alive by promoting jobs in farming, agri-food industries and associated sectors.

The CAP is a common policy for all EU countries. It is managed and funded at European level from the resources of the EU’s budget. CAP 2023-27 To consolidate the role of European agriculture for the future, the CAP has evolved over the years to meet changing economic circumstances and citizens’ requirements and needs.

The CAP 2023-27 entered into force on 1 January 2023.&nbsp;Support for farmers and rural stakeholders across the 27 EU countries is based on the CAP 2023-27 legal framework and the choices detailed in the&nbsp;CAP Strategic Plans, approved by the Commission. The approved Plans are designed to make a significant contribution to the ambitions of the&nbsp;European Green Deal,&nbsp;Farm to Fork Strategy&nbsp;and&nbsp;Biodiversity Strategy.

Common agricultural policy (CAP)

GMO stands for genetically modified organisms. They are organisms whose genetic material has been artificially modified in order to give it a new property. For example, this could be to make it easier for a plant to resist a disease, insects or drought, or to increase crop productivity.

The EU's GMO legislation stems from 1990 when the first two directives concerning GMOs came into force. Both original directives have since been updated, but the definition of a GMO has remained unchanged. This is causing problems for new techniques developed since then. New plant genetic modification techniques, referred to as 'gene editing' or 'genome editing', have evolved rapidly in recent years, allowing much faster and more precise results than conventional plant-breeding techniques. They are seen as a promising, innovative field for the agri-food industry, offering great technical potential.There is, however, considerable debate as to how these new techniques should be regulated, and whether some or all of them should fall within the scope of EU legislation on genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

See more on this topic by visiting our <a href="https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/genetically-modified-organism-8th-parliamentary-term_6504_pk">package</a> for the 8th parliamentary term.

Genetically modified organism

European food safety policy aims are twofold: to protect human health and consumers’ interests, and to foster the smooth operation of the single European market.

The EU ensures that control standards are established and adhered to in the areas of feed and food-product hygiene, animal health, plant health and the prevention of food contamination from external substances. The Union also regulates labelling for food and feed products.

Food safety - 8th parliamentary term

The common agricultural policy (CAP) is one of the oldest common policies in the EU. Its significance is reflected in the proportion of the EU's budget devoted to it, representing approximately 40% of the total. Developed at a time when Europe was unable to meet most of its own food needs, it was necessary to encourage farmers to produce food by means of guaranteed prices. The policy has undergone regular reform and has evolved over the years.

As part of the preparation of the EU budget for 2021-2027, the European Commission put forward a new set of regulations to shape the future CAP on 1 June 2018. The proposal for a regulation on the financing, management and monitoring of the CAP provides the legislative framework for adapting the financing, management and monitoring rules to a new CAP delivery model.

See more on this topic by visiting our <a href="https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/common-agricultural-policy-8th-parliamentary-term_6503_pk">package</a> for the 8th parliamentary term.

Common agricultural policy (2019-2020)

European food safety policy aims are twofold: to protect human health and consumers’ interests, and to foster the smooth operation of the European single market.

The EU thus ensures that control standards are established and adhered to in the areas of feed and food-product hygiene, animal health, plant health and the prevention of food contamination from external substances. The Union also regulates labelling for food and feed products.

In the wake of a series of human food and animal feed crises, EU food safety policy underwent substantial reform in the early 2000s. The ‘Farm to Fork’ approach was defined, guaranteeing a high level of safety at all stages of the production and distribution process for all food products marketed within the EU, whether produced within the EU or imported from third countries.

Food safety

Launched on 20 May 2020, the 'Farm to Fork' strategy put forward the EU’s ambition for making its food system a model of sustainability at all stages of the food value chain.

This strategy is at the heart of the Green Deal. It addresses comprehensively the challenges of sustainable food systems and recognises the inextricable links between healthy people, healthy societies and a healthy planet. Ensuring a sustainable livelihood for primary producers, who still lag behind in terms of income, is essential for the success of the recovery and the transition.

The Farm to Fork strategy aims to accelerate our transition to a sustainable food system that should have neutral and positive environmental impact, help mitigate climate change and adapt to its impact. It should also reverse the loss of biodiversity, ensure food security, nutrition and public health, making sure that everyone has access to sufficient, safe nutritious, sustainable food, preserve affordability of food while generating fairer economic returns, fostering competitivness of the EU supply sector and promoting fair trade.

A shift to a sustainable food system can bring environmental, health and social benefits, offer economic gains and ensure that the recovery from the crisis puts us onto a sustainable path.

Farm to fork

In April 2018, the European Commission adopted a proposal on unfair trading practices in business-to-business relationships in the food supply chain.

It stems from the consensus that unfair trading practices occur in the food supply chain, with smaller operators more vulnerable to these practices due to a weaker bargaining power compared to larger operators. The proposal focuses therefore on smaller actors in the food supply chain and aims to protect them from trading practices that are imposed unilaterally. The protection covers small and medium-sized agricultural producers and other SME suppliers in the chain and imposed rules constraining the behaviour of buyers which are not SMEs.

#EUelections2019 - Helping farmers, ending unfair trading practices

Breakfast directive - Illustration

Breakfast directive - illustration

Press conference - Electricity interconnection European project in the Gulf of Biscay, Basque Country

EP Press conference - Phosphate additives in kebab meat

Donner restaurant in Brussels.

Meeting about lower sugar manufactured and prepared foods - Sugar wise

EP Plenary session - Voting session (part 1) incl. packaging waste and air quality

During the plenary session, MEPs debate and vote the position of the Parliament for negotiations with EU countries on EU rules on new genomic techniques to make our food system more sustainable and resilient.

New genomic techniques: statement by Jessica POLFJÄRD (EPP, SE), extracts from the debate and votes

MEPs debate the position of the Parliament for negotiations with EU countries on EU rules on new genomic techniques to make our food system more sustainable and resilient. Opening statements by Jessica POLFJÄRD (EPP, SE), Veronika VRECIONOVÁ (ECR, CZ) on behalf of AGRI Committee and Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Plants obtained by certain genomic techniques and their food and feed: opening statements by Jessica POLFJÄRD (EPP, SE), Veronika VRECIONOVÁ (ECR, CZ) on behalf of AGRI Committee and Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality

Question Time to Commission - Food price inflation in Europe. Q & A (part 2)

Question Time to Commission - Food price inflation in Europe: Question & Answers (part 2) with Janusz WOJCIECHOWSKI, European Commissioner for Agriculture

Food prices in the EU have risen dramatically over the past two years. The chain of disruptions caused by the COVID 19 pandemic, extreme weather events and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 have led to severe shortages in the agri-food chain, resulting in higher consumer prices. The latest European Parliament Eurobarometer survey shows that the cost of living continues to be the main concern for European citizens. Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - Rising food prices

A delegation from the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, led by Chair Norbert Lins, travels to the Polish-Ukrainian border.The capacity for storing agricultural products is the subject of an exchange of views between MEPs and Ukrainian business and trade representatives.

AGRI Delegation to the Polish-Ukrainian Border: meeting with Ukrainian and Polish stakeholders

Norbert LINS (EPP, DE), Chair of the EP Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development debriefs with the press the travel of the delegation to the Polish-Ukrainian border on 20-21 June 2022. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Press conference by Norbert LINS (EPP, DE), Chair of the EP Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development on the visit of an AGRI Delegation to the Polish-Ukrainian Border

A delegation from the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, led by Chair Norbert Lins, willtravel to the Polish-Ukrainian border. MEPs visits the Medyka (rail) and Korczowa (road) border crossings to assess the import of Ukrainian agricultural commodities and the potential for alternative routes. - Norbert LINS (EPP, DE), Chair; Herbert DORFMANN (EPP, IT); Juozas OLEKAS (S&D, LT); Ulrike MÜLLER (Renew, DE); Tilly METZ (Greens/EFA, FR); Veronika VRECIONOVA (ECR, CS)

AGRI Delegation to the Polish-Ulkrainian Border: field visit of the border stations

Members of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) and the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) of the European Parliament, participate in a meeting, in Brussels, on "A Farm to Fork Strategy" for a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system. Statements of co-rapporteurs: Herbert DORFMANN (EPP, IT) and Anja HAZEKAMP (GUE/NGL, NL)

A Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system: extracts from the meeting

Food origin, food cost, food safety, taste, nutritional content and ethics and beliefs are among the most important factors for Europeans when buying food. Food and nutrition habits of European citizens may vary from a Member State to the other. Discover more in this video. Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - Most important factors when buying food

This stockshot offers illustration footage of Laboratorios Bromatológicos Araba S.A. (ARALAB), Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, a laboratory which detects pathogens in food products and which now has equipment to detect the presence of Covid-19.

Infoclip: Covid-19 - Foodstuff testing in laboratory

This infoclip illustrates the donation of pizzas to hospital staff at St Pierre hospital in Brussels, Belgium, in the context of the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

Infoclip: Covid-19 - Delivery of free pizza to hospital staff

Images of a food inspection by an inspector of the AFSCA (Agence fédérale pour la sécurité de la chaîne alimentaire), sampling of food products (cheese and meat) in a grocery shop in Brussels. Reception of samples, preparation and testing for different types of bacteria at the AFSCA laboratory in Gembloux (Belgium).

Infoclip: Control tests on the food chain safety

This infoclip illustrates an example of a school canteen and of a kitchen providing organic food and vegetables from local producers, in Namur (Wallonia).

Infoclip: Social protection - Healthy food in educational establishments

Paolo DE CASTRO (S&D, IT), rapporteur, Mairead MCGUINNESS (EPP, IE) and Elsi KATAINEN (ALDE, FI), speak to the press about the negotiations (trilogue) on unfair trade practices in the food supply chain, in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Press conference by Paolo DE CASTRO (S&D, IT), rapporteur, Mairead MCGUINNESS (EPP, IE) and Elsi KATAINEN (ALDE, FI), on the negotiations (trilogue) on unfair trade practices in the food supply chain

Statements by David BEASLEY, Executive Director, World Food Programme (WFP) on investing in Food Security for a Future Free of Hunger, during the meeting of the Committee on Development (DEVE) in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Investing in Food Security for a Future Free of Hunger: extracts from the debate with David BEASLEY, Executive Director, World Food Programme (WFP) and statement

During the meeting of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) in the EP in Brussels, MEPs voted and rejected the objection to a proposal by the European Commission's setting new limits for the use of the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA) in varnishes and coatings that come into contact with food. The objection by some MEPs was intended to push the Commission to work towards a total ban of this molecule in materials coming into contact with food. In 2016, European Parliament asked for a ban on BPA in all materials which come into contact with food. Martin HÄUSLING (Greens/EFA,DE) and Frédérique RIES (ALDE, BE), co-rapporteurs, expresss themselves. Also Christel Schaldemose (S&D, DK) rapporteur on this matter in 2016.

Use of bisphenol A in varnishes and coatings intended to come into contact with food: extracts from the debate and vote and statement by Martin HÄUSLING (Greens/EFA,DE), rapporteur

This infoclip illustrates beverage food cans, plastic bottles and other food containers which can contain Bisphenol A in their coating. Also glass containers and other cans without BPA.

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