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In a resolution, adopted on Wednesday by 447 votes to 142 and 31 abstentions, Parliament says the EU must become less dependent on third countries and diversify the supply of critical production imports such as fertiliser, feed and raw materials. MEPs call for a food security plan based on food stocks, protein and feed strategy and financial support to European producers.
Financing for farmers’ access to digital technologies and precision crop management is key for the increase of yields and the reduction of pesticides use and water consumption, they add. A new EU programme should be created to modernise irrigation facilities and promote new water management infrastructure.
MEPs want EU campaigns against food waste, national food waste prevention programmes, for supermarkets to cooperate with food banks, and they advocate for investments in infrastructure for more sustainable transport and storage facilities of farm products. A chapter on food and agricultural products should be part of trade agreements in order to fight unfair competition from third country producers who are subject to less strict legislation.
Acknowledging the European Green Deal as a possible “milestone in the EU’s transition to a greener, more sustainable and resilient economy and agriculture”, MEPs argue “some of the proposed measures might have unintended effects, which have not yet been properly assessed and identified at farm level”. The Commission should therefore ensure in the implementation of the Green Deal that “agricultural entrepreneurship and activity is maintained across the Union from a strategic point of view in terms of food security”.
June 15, 2023/ EP/ European Union.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/
