Opinion Factsheet 

Towards a sustainable EU food policy

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Opinion Number: CDR 3170/2016
Rapporteur: KOMPATSCHER Arno
Commission: NAT
Status: Adopted
Date: 22/03/2017
 
contribute to developping a comprehensive, sustainable EU food policy that adresses food production and nutrition in a more comprehensive manner, establishing a link across different policy areas;
launch a joint pilot project together with the European Parliament and the Commission to facilitate the development of a sustainable EU food policy;
encourage adequate planning processes in the field, through local food councils for instance
The European Commission is currently drafting the Strategy from Farm to fork. This is in line with the CoR recommendation to develop a comprehensive, sustainable EU food policy that adresses food production and nutrition in a more comprehensive manner, establishing a link across different policy areas.
THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS



 calls for a comprehensive, sustainable EU food policy which is democratically shaped, designed with a common and long-term vision, based on the latest scientific insights and in line with a multilevel governance approach that addresses food production and nutrition in a more comprehensive manner, promoting more sustainable production and consumption patterns, establishing a link across different policy areas, including, among others, food production, agriculture, environment, health, consumer policy, employment and rural development, and creating jobs and growth in Europe's Regions and Cities;

 calls on the European Parliament and the Commission to launch together with the CoR a joint pilot project to facilitate the development of a sustainable EU food policy;

 stresses the importance of further revising the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in order to incentivise not only farmers, but also food manufacturers to produce sustainably;

 underlines the need to stimulate and sustain, also financially, the development of small-scale farming systems, especially those located in vulnerable areas and on the periphery of cities;

 stresses the need to establish long term health programmes targeting obesity and food related diseases, by promoting the availability of and accessibility to local, fresh and seasonal food;

 urges a definition of comprehensive terminology on sustainable food systems that includes agriculture food production, food processing and diets and highlights the need for standardised methodology for collecting and reporting data on the environmental impact of food products;

 calls on the European Commission to clarify existing constraints within its public procurement rules in order to apply sustainability criteria;

 supports the creation of local food councils at local level for planning processes, comprising activities such as measures to connect producers and consumers, identify food deserts and zones for the location of new markets at regional level and above all ensure the public has a voice in policy making;

 believes that a bottom-up policy on food sustainability should first and foremost be addressed through strong local development partnerships and local (regions' and cities') authorities.

Importance

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Farm to Fork procurement for resilient food Regions

The rapporteur spoke at the high-level workshop calling for a minimum standard for public canteens, and in particular for healthy school meals and food education for every child in every school in Europe.

The EU Farm to Fork Strategy aims to develop minimum mandatory criteria for food procurement and to revise the EU school fruit, vegetables and milk scheme.

This session showed the potential of public canteens, and in particular schools, as catalysts for sustainable food system transformation, thus supporting more resilient food economies and regions in Europe.

 
11 Oct
 

High-level meeting: Towards a comprehensive EU food policy

Building upon the momentum created by the EESC and the related CoR opinions, the implementation of food-related SDGs in Europe and the launch of the IPES Food report including concrete civil society's proposals towards a common food policy, the EESC high level meeting (morning) - involving the Commission, the European Parliament, the Committee of the Regions, national representatives and civil society stakeholders - will feature discussions on the first steps of a political process leading to a more comprehensive food policy in the EU. The meeting shall contribute to put this topic ‒as well as the potential establishment of a European Food Policy Council‒ high on the agenda of the EU institutions. One session of the meeting will focus on "Examples of ongoing food policy processes and existing food policy councils at local/national level".

 
07 Feb
 

Meeting with the Commissioner for Health and Food Safety

The rapporteur Mr Kompatscher met the Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Mr Vytenis Andriukatis to discuss the latest developments in this policy area.

 
07 Feb
 

Towards a sustainable EU food supply chain“

Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Mr Vytenis Andriukaitis attended the event on „Towards a sustainable EU food supply chain“ in Bolzano/Bozen on 3-4 June 2018, organised by the rapporteur.

 
03 Jun
 

EWRC workshop on Sustainable food systems and public procurement

The rapporteur will speak at the workshop "Regions and cities: pioneers in creating more sustainable food systems", showcasing best practice examples in public procurement in food and catering services.

 
11 Oct
 

Meeting with the President of the European Parliament

Mr Kompatscher will meet the President of the European Parliament, Mr Antonio Tajani.

 
11 Oct
 

EWRC workshop "Go local! - Best practices of sustainable food policy on local level"

The rapporteur will speak at the workshop "Go local! - Best practices of sustainable food policy on local level"

 
11 Oct
 

Presentation of the CoR/EESC canteen to the Press

The rapporteur spoke to the european Press at the occasion of the presentation of the CoR / EESC canteen.

CoR/EESC sustainable canteen is a model of good practices in the field of environmental protection and fight against food waste and can be seen as a small but concrete example of what the political action of both tend to. It has succeded in reducing the food waste to a record of 5% (annual average) and now place them as the first and only European institutions to donate food and to implement standards of excellence in terms of food sustainability

The canteen is among the first 8 canteens certified by the Brussels-Capital Region with the "Label Good Food".

 
22 Mar
 

The Rapporteur meeting the President of the EP

The rapporteur presented his draft opinion to the President of the European Parliament, Mr Antonio Tajani.

 
22 Mar
 

Adoption of the opinion in the Plenary

The opinion was unanimously adopted in the Plenary Session. The European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Mr Vytenis Andriukaitis participated in the debate prior to the vote.

 
22 Mar
 

Meeting with the Cabinet of the Commissioner Mr Andriukatis

The rapporteur discussed the main ideas of his draft opinion with Mr Marco Valletta, Member of the Cabinet of the Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Mr Andriukaitis.

 
02 Feb
 

The Rapporteur meeting the Deputy Head of Cabinet of the Commissioner Hogan

The rapporteur discussed the main ideas presented in his draft opinion with Ms Siracusa, the Deputy Head of the Cabinet of the Commissioner Hogan.

 
02 Feb
 

Draft opinion adopted at the NAT commission meeting

The rapporteur presented his draft opinion to the members of the NAT commission. Mr Herbert Dorfmann, Member of the European Parliament and Ms Betty Lee, Policy officer from the European Commission (DG AGRI) took part in the debate.

 
02 Feb
 

Stakeholders' meeting

The Rapporteur's team met various and numerous stakeholders, discussing questions raised in his working document.

 
28 Nov
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