BEUC – the confederation representing 44 independent associations in 31 European countries – presents consumers’ priorities to the new European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen from Luxembourg. (1)
1) BEUC, the mission of European consumers
‘We fully support your mission to develop a Vision for Agriculture and Food based on the recommendations of the Strategic Dialogue. (2) We welcome the fact that the proposal for a common agricultural policy (CAP) ‘fit for purpose’ will be among your priorities, along with promoting sustainability in agriculture, strengthening food sovereignty and ensuring greater reciprocity in trade. (3)
We regret that the presentation of the proposal for a regulation on sustainable food systems is not part of your plans. (4) However, we were pleased to read in your written responses prior to the hearing at the European Parliament that you intend to work to promote the shift to more balanced diets.
We believe that healthier diets can improve the well-being of Europeans, reduce diet-related diseases and their associated health costs, strengthen the EU’s protein autonomy and food security while contributing to achieving the EU’s climate objectives’.
2) The priorities of European consumers
European consumers want to be able to choose healthy (i.e. nutritionally balanced) and sustainable foods at affordable prices. They are therefore fed up with the aggressive marketing of junk food. (5) And they are not willing to compromise on sustainability, including animal welfare, on products arriving from third countries. (6)
2.1) Fair supply chain
Transparency of the value chain is essential to:
– ensure that a #fairprice is paid to European farmers and food producers
– protect consumers from the already widely recorded phenomena of greedflation. (7)
2.2) Common Agricultural Policy
The Common Agricultural Policy, according to BEUC, should redistribute aid to those who really need it (family and peasant farms, first and foremost) and reward companies that demonstrate their commitment to the ecological transition of production.
2.3) Greenwashing, costs of ecological transition
Greenwashing in the agri-food chain must be prevented and hindered with more effective tools, as also noted by the European Court of Auditors in its recent report on food labels. (8)
It is then necessary to ensure – as clarified in the Strategic Dialogue – that European consumers do not pay twice for the ecological transition, first through taxes and then with ‘premium prices’ on products.
2.4) Animal welfare
9 out of 10 consumers in the EU, according to a survey published by BEUC in February 2024, consider the importance of a systematic reform of the European rules to protect animal welfare. (9)
Loss of progressive elimination of cages, labelling of animal welfare (following the example of eggs), and application of identical rules on all food of animal origin arriving from non-EU countries. (10)
3) Provisional conclusions
Christophe Hansen, in a recent consultation at the European Parliament, recalled data showing that farmers’ income levels in Europe are 40% lower than the general average (11,12).
It’s really important that consumers realize how the quality of our food and thus our health, as well as the conservation of soil and nature, depend on the farmers who bring rural territories to life.
And it is essential therefore strengthen the transparency mechanisms for the value chain introduced in the EU Agri-Food Chain Observatory, as well as inserting below-cost sales in the blacklist of commercial practices that are always prohibited. (7)
Dario Dongo
Footnotes
(1) BEUC. The Consumers’ Mission. Letter to Christophe Hansen, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food. December 1, 2024 https://tinyurl.com/y7ptz7nx
(2) Dario Dongo. Strategic dialogue on the future of agriculture in the EU. FT (Food Times). September 8, 2024
(3) On reciprocity see paragraph 5 (Another Europe is possible) in the previous article by Dario Dongo. Green light for EU agreements with Chile and Kenya. FT (Food Times).
(4) Julia Tower. European food policy, the way forward. FT (Food Times).
(5) Dario Dongo, Andrea Adelmo Della Penna. Audiovisual Media Services Directive’ and protection of minors from junk food marketing. FT (Food Times). November 25, 2023
(6) Dario Dongo, Alessandra Mei. Brussels, farmers against EU-Mercosur agreement. FT (Food Times).
(7) Dario Dongo. Greedflation and shrinkflation, survey in the UK. FT (Food Times). January 18, 2024
(8) See paragraph 5 (Incomprehensible and/or misleading labels) in the previous article by Dario Dongo. SPECIAL – Food labels in the EU, the Court of Auditors report. FT (Food Times).
(9) Farm animal welfare: what consumers want. BEUC. February 2024 https://tinyurl.com/23yxhebd
(10) Dario Dongo. #Endthecage age, legal action in EU and petition in UK. FT (Food Times).
(11) Angelo Di Mambro. Hansen, a commissioner on the narrow path between empathy and policy. Euractiv. December 2, 2024 https://tinyurl.com/y9wzwtzj
(12) European Commission. Explore farm incomes in the EU, Farm economics overview based on 2021 FADN data. November 2023 https://tinyurl.com/2tr94mz2
(13) Dario Dongo, Marina De Nobili. Transparency in the value chain, work in progress. FT (Food Times).
(14) See paragraph 2.a in the previous paragraph by Dario Dongo. Peace, Land and Dignity. Our movement in the 2024 European elections. FT (Food Times).
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
