EU: Conclusions on the farm to fork strategy

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.