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Yesterday, the Council adopted a set of conclusions on the farm to fork strategy, endorsing the goal of developing a European sustainable food system, from production to consumption.
The conclusions entail a two-fold political message from the member states:
- ensure sufficient and affordable food while contributing to EU climate neutrality by 2050 and
- ensuring a fair income and strong support for primary producers.
According to Julia Klöckner, Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture of Germany, "The unanimous decision reached is a crucial signal and a clear commitment to a sustainable and economically viable agri-food sector. For the first time, the entire food system is taken into account as a whole – from producers to consumers. It is a solid starting point and we are looking forward to working altogether the coming years towards a truly sustainable and fair food system in Europe and beyond."
Through the conclusions, the Council calls for:
- scientifically-sound ex-ante impact assessments to be the basis of EU legislative proposals under the farm to fork strategy
- to continue promoting the prudent and responsible use of pesticides, antimicrobials and fertilisers in order to produce food sustainably and support the environment at the same time,
- a level playing field on competitive agri-food markets and compatibility with WTO rules.
19 october 2020/ European Council/ European Union.
https://www.consilium.europa.eu
