Activities of Biljana BORZAN related to 2020/2260(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Farm to Fork Strategy (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on a farm to fork strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system
Amendments (225)
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
- having regard to Article 13 TFEU that states that when formulating and implementing the Union's policies, in particular concerning its internal market, full regard should be paid to the welfare requirements of animals, since animals are sentient beings,
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the fact that the aimambition of the Farm to Fork Strategy and the fact that its aim is to establish a sustainable, healthy and resilient food system which benefits consumers in the EU;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Shares the view that the COVID- 19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of a robust and resilient food system that functions in all circumstances, and is capable of ensuring access to a sufficient supply of affordable food for European consumers; stresses, in this respect, the need to preserve the smooth functioning of the single market, and in particular the movement of foodstuffs, including during health crises; stresses, too, that the pandemic must not be used as an excuse to scale down ambitions, given that sustainability and health are interconnected issues;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
- having regards to its resolution of 18 December 2019 on the EU Pollinators Initiative1a, __________________ 1a P9_TA(2019)0104
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Considers that promoting healthy and sustainable food consumption calls for changes to diets, production and distribution systems, and internal trade; considers, however, that consumers should not be solely responsible for making this transition; stresses, too, that the choice of healthy and sustainable food consumption must be accessible, affordable, understandable and clear for all consumers;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 a (new)
Citation 5 a (new)
- having regard to the European Pillar of Social Rights,
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 b (new)
Citation 5 b (new)
- having regard to its resolution on European protection of cross-border and seasonal workers in the context of the COVID-19 crisis adopted on 19 June,
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Notes that price, lack of knowledge, unclear information and a limited choice of products are some of the obstacles to more sustainable food; approves the strategy’s aim of ensuring ‘that ultimately the most sustainable food also becomes the most affordable’; suggests, therefore, that prices need to be thoroughly reviewed so that they more fairly reflect the long-term costs for consumers and society, health systems and the environment; calls on governments, the European Commission and associations to make consumers aware that having more sustainable food is not necessarily more expensive;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Stresses the need to conduct consultations and impact analyses on the measures envisaged, and to work with and support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and cooperative systems in order to involve them in this transition and reduce the negative impacts for those who commit to this approach;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 a (new)
Citation 6 a (new)
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission to step up its support for regional food systems and short supply chains, which act as a source of fresh, sustainable and better quality products for consumers; takes the view that legislation on European public procurement should be revised in order to foster local, high-quality food supply systems; suggests establishing more flexible criteria for the introduction of local and regional products in public procurement, particularly by adopting the zero-kilometre principle in school canteens;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)
Citation 7 a (new)
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 a (new)
Citation 10 a (new)
- having regard to Council Directive 1999/74/EC of 19 July 1999 laying down minimum standards for the protection of laying hens1a, __________________ 1a OJ L 203, 3.8.1999, p. 53–57
Amendment 64 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Urges the Commission to promote alternative business models, such as consumer-friendly cooperative schemes; supports the adoption of tax incentives to encourage consumers to opt for healthy and sustainable diets;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 b (new)
Citation 10 b (new)
- having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 of 22 December 2004 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations1a, __________________ 1a OJ L 3, 5.1.2005, p. 1–44
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 b (new)
Citation 10 b (new)
- having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 of 24 September 2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing1a, __________________ 1a OJ L 303, 18.11.2009, p. 1–30
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 c (new)
Citation 10 c (new)
- having regard to Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’)1a, __________________ 1a OJ L 84, 31.3.2016, p. 1.
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 c (new)
Citation 10 c (new)
- having regard to Council Directive 2007/43/EC of 28 June 2007 laying down minimum rules for the protection of chickens kept for meat production1a, __________________ 1a OJ L 182, 12.7.2007
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 d (new)
Citation 10 d (new)
- having regard to Regulation (EU) 2019/6 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on veterinary medicinal products1a, __________________ 1a OJ L 4, 7.1.2019, p. 43–167
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 e (new)
Citation 10 e (new)
- having regard to Council Directive 2008/120/EC of 18 December 2008 laying down minimum standards for the protection of pigs1a, __________________ 1a OJ L 47, 18.2.2009, p. 5–13
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 e (new)
Citation 10 e (new)
- having regard to Council Directive 2008/119/EC of 18 December 2008 laying down minimum standards for the protection of calves1a, __________________ 1a OJ L 10, 15.1.2009, p. 7–13
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 f (new)
Citation 10 f (new)
- having regard to Directive 2010/63 EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2010 on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes1a, __________________ 1a OJ L 276, 20.10.2010, p. 33–79
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 a (new)
Citation 11 a (new)
- having regard to Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy; Directive 2006/118/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 on the protection of groundwater against pollution and deterioration and Council Directive 91/676/EEC of 12 December 1991 concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources,
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 a (new)
Citation 11 a (new)
- having regard to Council Directive of 12 December 1991 concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources1a, __________________ 1a OJ L 375, 31.12.1991, p. 1.
Amendment 82 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Supports the establishment of a governance framework and a code of conduct for food and retail businesses, in order to make them accountable and aware of the importance of sustainability and health; considers, however, that binding rules are needed to reduce the marketing and advertising of unhealthy food, particularly to children;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 b (new)
Citation 11 b (new)
- having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1185/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 concerning statistics on pesticides1a, __________________ 1a OJ L 324, 10.12.2009, p. 1–22
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 12 a (new)
Citation 12 a (new)
- having regard to Regulation (EU) 2019/1381 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on the transparency and sustainability of the EU risk assessment in the food chain1a, __________________ 1a OJ L 231, 6.9.2019, p. 1–28
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 12 b (new)
Citation 12 b (new)
- having regard to Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy1a, __________________ 1a OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1–73
Amendment 92 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the Commission’s initiative to promote healthier diets by introducing nutritional profiles, which should encourage healthier product reformulations and prevent misleading claims about health benefits, accompanied by mandatory and harmonised labelling of the nutritional value of foods on the front of packaging; stresses the importance of informing consumers and making information clearer, particularly by using a tool that is easy to understand and scientifically sound; points out, in this respect, that the Nutri-Score adopted in five European countries to date is one of the most effective ways for consumers to compare products and choose healthier food;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 12 c (new)
Citation 12 c (new)
- having regard to Directive 2006/118/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 on the protection of groundwater against pollution and deterioration1a, __________________ 1a OJ L 372, 27.12.2006, p. 19–31
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 13 a (new)
Citation 13 a (new)
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 b (new)
Citation 18 b (new)
- having regard to its legislative resolution of 8 September 2015 on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the cloning of animals of the bovine, porcine, ovine, caprine and equine species kept and reproduced for farming purposes1a, __________________ 1a P8_TA(2015)0285
Amendment 99 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the Commission’s initiative to promote healthier diets by introducing nutritional profiles, accompanied by mandatory and harmonised labelling of the nutritional value of foods on the front of packaging; points out there are several front of pack nutritional labelling schemes in use in Member States, which has an impact on the cohesion and functioning of the internal market;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 22 a (new)
Citation 22 a (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 17 April 2018 on the implementation of the 7th Environment Action Programme1a, __________________ 1a OJ C 390, 18.11.2019, p. 10–18
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 a (new)
Citation 23 a (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 11 February 2015 on country of origin labelling for meat in processed food1a, __________________ 1a OJ C 310, 25.8.2016, p. 15–18.
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 b (new)
Citation 23 b (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 12 May 2016 on mandatory indication of the country of origin or place of provenance for certain food1a, __________________ 1a OJC 76, 28.2.2018, p. 49–53.
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 24 a (new)
Citation 24 a (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 13 March 2019 on a Europe that protects: Clean air for all1a, __________________ 1a P8_TA(2019)0186
Amendment 123 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Regards it as essential, further, to keep consumers better informed by introducing mandatory origin labelling of food, which would be broadened to cover animal welfare, sustainability and pesticide residue levels; stresses that imported products which do not meet European environmental or health standards threaten consumer health and create unfair competition for European producers;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 25 a (new)
Citation 25 a (new)
- having regards to Special Eurobarometer 505:"Making our food fit for the future – Citizens’ expectations" from October 2020,
Amendment 129 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Stresses that Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 requires that where the origin of a food is given and is different from the one of its primary ingredient, the origin of the primary ingredient shall be given or at least indicated as being different to the origin of the food; points out that in practice that means that products whose primary ingredients are not locally or regionally sourced can be marketed as such if the origin of said non-local primary ingredients is indicated in small print; underlines that there is an imbalance between the visibility of marketing practices that use national, regional and local names and symbols for products whose primary ingredients are not nationally, regionally or locally sourced and EU labelling requirements; considers this to be detrimental to the consumers' right to be properly informed and potentially misleading; calls on the Commission to rectify that imbalance;
Amendment 131 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Recalls that the Commission promotes sustainable fish production including actions to guide consumers to make healthy and sustainable choices; believes that this can be achieved by improving the labelling of products, with information on their origin, allowing for good traceability mechanisms at all stages of transport, production, processing and distribution, which help combat IUU fishing and promote the value, for example, of fish caught on a voluntary basis with the best animal welfare standards;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 25 a (new)
Citation 25 a (new)
Amendment 132 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Reiterates that dual quality of food products is unacceptable and needs to be fully counteracted to avoid discrimination and misleading of EU consumers; in this regard, calls the Commission to monitor closely the situation on the market and propose targeted legislation when necessary; in addition, stresses the importance to strengthen the role of consumer organisations in identifying potentially misleading branding practices as well as misleading information provided on the packaging;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 25 a (new)
Citation 25 a (new)
- having regard to the EAT Lancet Commission 2019 report Food in The Anthropocene: the EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets From Sustainable Food Systems1a, __________________ 1a https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet /article/PIIS0140-6736(18)31788- 4/fulltext
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 25 b (new)
Citation 25 b (new)
- having regard to the Implementation Report on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive (COM(2020)204),
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 35 c (new)
Citation 35 c (new)
- having regard to the EEA report Food in a greenlight - A systems approach to sustainable food1a, __________________ 1a EEA Report No 16/2017
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 35 e (new)
Citation 35 e (new)
- having regard to the scientific opinion of March 2020 by the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors to the European Commission entitled ‘Towards a Sustainable Food System’1a, __________________ 1aDirectorate-General for Research and Innovation, Group of Chief Scientific Advisors (2020). ‘Towards a sustainable food system. Moving from food as a commodity to food as more of a common good: independent expert report’.
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 35 f (new)
Citation 35 f (new)
- having regard to the European Commission’s Fitness Check Roadmap and revision of the existing animal welfare legislation, including on animal transport and the slaughter of animals, to assess their effectiveness, relevance and consistency and to ensure a higher level of animal welfare in the EU,
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 35 h (new)
Citation 35 h (new)
- having regard to the Report on the REFIT evaluation of the pesticide legislation (COM(2020)208),
Amendment 141 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Considers that, in order to ensure transparency and a level playing field for all products placed on the European markets, social and sustainability standards should be guaranteed for all products, both internal and external, through Directive 2017/159; considers also that tariff preferences (tariff rate quotas, GSP +) should only be granted to sea products from countries with sustainable fisheries management when negotiating free trade agreements; believes that both consumers and industry need protection against environmental and social dumping;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 35 i (new)
Citation 35 i (new)
- having regard to the Report on front-of-pack nutrition labelling (COM(2020)207),
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 35 j (new)
Citation 35 j (new)
- having regard to the Commissions’ Staff Working Document on the Evaluation of the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation (SWD(2020) 95),
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 35 k (new)
Citation 35 k (new)
- having regard to DG (SANTE) audits 2020-6935, 2019-6679, 2018-6459, 2018-6457 and 2016-8860 evaluating the control system in place governing the production of food of animal origin, including horse meat, intended for export to the European Union,
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 37 a (new)
Citation 37 a (new)
- having regard to Council Presidency Conclusions of 15 December 2020 on front-of-pack nutrition labelling, nutrient profiles and origin labelling,
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 37 a (new)
Citation 37 a (new)
- having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions "From farm to fork – the local and regional dimension",
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 37 a (new)
Citation 37 a (new)
- having regards to the European Committee of the Regions' opinion on the Farm to Fork Strategy "From Farm to Fork – the local and regional dimension"1a, __________________ 1a NAT-VII/005
Amendment 155 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Welcomes the Commission’s announcement that it will revise the food contact materials legislation to improve consumer safety and public health;
Amendment 158 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8b. Calls on the Commission to establish the appropriate regulatory framework to speed up the adoption of new plant health solutions, including plant protection products with a lower impact, such as low-risk substances or biosolutions;
Amendment 164 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on the Commission to clarify the current legislation on use-by dates, in order to reduce food waste; notes that it is eagerly awaiting the reference scenario for reducing food waste throughout the EU;
Amendment 165 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on the Commission to clarify the current legislation oWelcomes the European Commission’s intention to set binding targets to reduce food waste for which the distinction between ‘use- by dates, in order to reduce food waste’ and ‘best before’ dates can bring positive results;
Amendment 170 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Supports the Commission in its efforts to combat food fraud and counterfeiting, which misleads consumers and distorts competition in the internal market, and regards it as essential to make the penalties imposed on fraudsters more dissuasive and to earmark sufficient resources so that checks on product quality conformity can be stepped up;
Amendment 171 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Supports the Commission in its efforts to combat food fraud, which misleads consumers and distorts competition in the internal market, and regards it as essential to make the penalties imposed on fraudsters more dissuasive and to earmark sufficient resources so that checks can be stepped up, including during the pandemic;
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas infinite economic growth on a planet with finite resources is impossible; whereas the pursuit of economic growth is a deeply problematic paradigm that needs to give way to a more sensible pursuit of enhancing quality of life and wellbeing, meaning that our economic models need to be adapted to the planetary boundaries to ensure a sustainable future;
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas Europe’s food system should deliver food and nutrition security in a way that contributes to social well- being and maintains and, restores ecosystem health and ensures animal health and welfare; whereas currently, the food system is responsible for a range of impacts on human and animal health and on the environment, the climate and biodiversity; whereas the way in which we produce and consume food needs to significantly transform in order to ensure coherence with the SDGs, the Paris Agreement, the Convention on Biological Diversity and EU policies, particularly in the areas of sustainability, the environment, climate, public health, animal welfare, food and economic sustainability for farmers;
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas animals are recognised under Article 13 TFEU as sentient beings and full regard must be paid to animal welfare requirements in EU policymaking as they deserve due consideration and respect, especially because the welfare of animals kept for food production is a key issue of concern for EU citizens; whereas significant developments in animal welfare science have taken place since the existing EU farm animal welfare legislation was adopted and it is thus vital to revise and augment the existing body of animal welfare legislation to bring it into line with the latest scientific advancements and to respond to societal demands for improvement of the welfare of animals and the elimination of outdated livestock housing systems and other production practices that negatively impact their welfare;
Amendment 273 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B c (new)
Recital B c (new)
Bc. whereas in the current risk assessment of active and basic substances and pesticides and biocides, the following parameters are not taken into account properly: multiplicity of pollutants co- existing in nature, chronic exposure, toxicity of mixtures, interaction between active substances and other chemicals (synergistic toxicity, such as food additives, food contaminants and silos), frequency of usage, exposure time, nor parameters related to the landscape and the climate, while the widespread, increasing and prophylactic use of plant protection products is of concern to EU citizens;
Amendment 337 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas in just over a decade several million farms have ceased to exist, representing over a third of all farms in Europe, of which the vast majority were small family businesses, due to upscaling and intensification of the agricultural system;
Amendment 348 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas the farm-to-fork strategy recognises the substantial efforts made to reduce the use of antimicrobials in animals, further strengthened by the new EU Regulations on Veterinary Medicinal Products and Medicated Feed, thus contributing to the global effort to reduce antibiotic resistance; whereas the EU must ensure that treating animals with antimicrobials remains possible where needed to ensure that the health and welfare of animals is protected at all times;
Amendment 353 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C c (new)
Recital C c (new)
Cc. whereas the European Commission’s One Health Action Plan Against Antimicrobial Resistance recognises that immunisation through vaccination is a cost-effective public health intervention with proven economic benefits and a control measure for AMR;
Amendment 355 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C d (new)
Recital C d (new)
Cd. whereas the uptake of smart and digital farming technologies to continuously monitor animal health and welfare has the potential to ensure effective disease prevention and the implementation of animal welfare standards;
Amendment 356 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C e (new)
Recital C e (new)
Ce. whereas it is necessary to ensure consistency and coherence amongst the measures envisaged by the farm to fork strategy and the CAP and CFP, the Trade Policy, the EU biodiversity strategy , as well as other related EU policies and strategies;
Amendment 361 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
Amendment 396 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas it is estimated that in the EU in 2017 over 950,000 deaths (one out of five) and over 16 million lost healthy life years were attributable to unhealthy diets, mainly cardiovascular diseases and cancers1a; __________________ 1aEU Science Hub : https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/health- knowledge-gateway/societal- impacts/burden
Amendment 404 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the European food system has played a crucial role during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating its resilience with farmers, processors and retailers working together under difficult conditions, including lockdowns, to ensure that European consumers continue to have access to safe, affordable, and high quality products without impediment; whereas the COVID-19 crisis, nevertheless, has highlighted the limits and weaknesses of globalised and intricate food supply chains, and has shown that over- specialisation of agricultural production leaves countries more vulnerable to trade restrictions and sudden shifts in consumer demand;
Amendment 412 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the European food system has played a crucial role during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating its resilience with farmers and their cooperatives or producers organisations, workers employed along the food value chain, processors and retailers working together under difficult conditions and sanitary risks, including lockdowns, to ensure that European consumers continue to have access to safe, affordable, and high quality products without impediment;
Amendment 426 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas globally, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), agriculture represents roughly one quarter of total anthropogenic emissions (23% on average) while the estimated share of food systems more broadly is between 21%and 37%1a; whereas about half of the food system emissions are direct emissions, mostly methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O)from farming practices, from the animals themselves and from their manure and the other half being emissions linked to land use and land-use changes1b (such as clearing of forests), and CO2 emissions from pre- and post- production sectors (transport of food, food processing, food waste, etc.); __________________ 1aIPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land (SRCCL),Summary for Policy Makers, 8 August 2019. https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/ 1bBetween 1960 and 2011, 65% of global land-use change was driven by the production of animal products. Drivers for global agricultural land-use change: The nexus of diet, population, yield and bioenergy. Global Environmental Change, 35: 138–147.
Amendment 429 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas the European food safety tests that are using animals are rapidly becoming out-of-date for drawing conclusions that can be reproduced and validated, as well as that ensure the highest safety standards for the public, animals and the environment; whereas the use of animal-free new approach methodologies (NAMs) should become the main approach for addressing the data needs which underpin food safety and the sustainable and safe use of pesticides;
Amendment 456 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E b (new)
Recital E b (new)
Eb. whereas the EU agricultural sector produced 426 473 kilo tonnes of CO2 equivalent of greenhouse gases in 2015, about 10 % of the EU’s total GHG emissions (excluding Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) net removals) for that year; whereas there are considerable variations between Member States, with agriculture accounting from ~3% to 33% of national GHG emissions;
Amendment 467 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E c (new)
Recital E c (new)
Ec. whereas emissions of ammonia (NH3) rose for the fourth year running, increasing by 0.4% across the EU, from 2016 to 20171a with the overall increase over the 2014-2017 period of about 2.5%; whereas these increases are because of the lack of emission reductions in the agricultural sector; whereas ammonia emissions can lead to increased acid depositions and excessive levels of nutrients in soil, rivers or lakes, which can have negative impacts on aquatic ecosystems and cause damage to forests, crops and other vegetation; whereas eutrophication can lead to severe reductions in water quality with subsequent impacts including decreased biodiversity, and toxicity effects; __________________ 1aAnnual EEA briefing ‘National Emission Ceilings (NEC) Directive reporting status 2019’ https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/air/air- pollution-sources-1/national-emission- ceilings/nec-directive-reporting-status- 2019
Amendment 472 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E d (new)
Recital E d (new)
Ed. whereas agriculture is the third biggest source of primary PM10 emissions in the EU, as stressed by the European Environment Agency; whereas ammonia (NH3) emissions from agriculture contribute to episodes of high PM concentrations experienced across Europe each spring, as well as to both short- and long-term negative health impacts;
Amendment 476 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E e (new)
Recital E e (new)
Ee. whereas methane emissions from agriculture are an important precursor to ground-level ozone, which has adverse effects on human health; whereas 98 % of the EU’s urban population is exposed to ozone levels exceeding WHO guidelines;
Amendment 477 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E f (new)
Recital E f (new)
Ef. whereas agro-ecology is an integrated approach that simultaneously applies ecological and social concepts and principles to the design and management of food and agricultural systems; whereas it seeks to optimise the interactions between plants, animals, humans and the environment while taking into consideration the social aspects that need to be addressed for a sustainable and fair food system;
Amendment 479 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E g (new)
Recital E g (new)
Eg. whereas agro-ecology can support food production and security and nutrition while restoring the ecosystem services and biodiversity that are essential for sustainable agriculture and plays an important role in building resilience and adapting to climate change; whereas the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)recognises it as a solution to tackle the multi-facetted social and environmental challenges facing the global food system;
Amendment 480 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E h (new)
Recital E h (new)
Amendment 491 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the farm to fork strategy as an important step in ensuring a sustainable, fair and resilient food system, which is central to achieving the goals set out in the European Green Deal, the European Pillar of Social Rights and in the SDGs; emphasises the inextricable links between healthy people, decent working conditions, healthy societies and a healthy planet, encourages the Commission to translate the strategy into concrete legislative and non-legislative action as soon as possible, involving not only farmers but all actors in the food chain, including consumers;
Amendment 515 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the ambitions and goals of the farm to fork strategy as an important steps in ensuring a sustainable, fair, healthy and resilient food system, which is central to achieving the goals set out in the European Green Deal and in the SDGs; emphasises the inextricable links between healthy people, healthy societies and a healthy planet, encourages the Commission to translate the strategy into concrete legislative and non-legislative action as soon as possible;
Amendment 516 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the farm to fork strategy as an important step in ensuring a sustainable, fair, healthy, animal friendly, local and resilient food system, which is central to achieving the goals set out in the European Green Deal and in the SDGs; emphasises the inextricable links between healthy people, healthy societies and a healthy planet, encourages the Commission to translate the strategy into concrete legislative and non-legislative action as soon as possible;
Amendment 548 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. Urges the Commission to integrate food aid issues in the farm to fork strategy since 33 millions of Europeans suffer from lack of food, especially single parent families and students, and the social and economic consequences of the pandemic will increase that figure; recognises the unique role of the food aid associations across the European Union that need to be more supported because of the growing number of people who need help; considers that the resilience of our food system need to increase the connections between food policies and agricultural policies at every level from the local to the European level;
Amendment 555 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 f (new)
Paragraph 1 f (new)
1f. Calls on the Commission to propose actions aiming for a system change, for example by focusing on innovative governance system, not mere ‘techno-fixes’ which cannot offer a real solution to the diverse issues impacting the sector;
Amendment 559 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the announcement of an impact-assesevidence-based proposal for a legislative framework for sustainable food systems; invites the Commission to use this proposal to set out a holistic, integrated common food policy aimed at reducing the environmental, water and climate footprint, as well as reducing the negative impacts on biodiversity and human and animal health and welfare of the EU food system in order to make Europe the first climate- neutral and zero-pollution continent by 2050 and strengthen its resilience to ensure long-term food security in the face of climate change, environmental degradation and biodiversity loss, leading a global transition towards sustainability from farm to fork, based on the UN FAO’s principles of a multifunctional agricultural sector while ensuring consistency between policies by taking into account the existing legislation in ordergroecology and the UN right to food, while ensuring enhanced policy coherence of all the legislative and non-legislative acts and to enable all actors in the European food system to develop long-term plans based on realistic and transparent objectives; stresses the need for urgent and bold policy and legislative change in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence of the unsustainability of the current food system and the higher costs of a failure to act; suggests that the respective base lines and progress achieved in each Member State be taken into account, while promoting the exchange of know-how and best practices between Member States; stresses the need to include the entire food and beverage chains including processing, marketing, distribution and retail and to cover the environmental, social (including health) and economic dimensions of sustainability; calls for this legislative proposal to pay full regard to the welfare of farm animals, given that this is integral to food sustainability; recommends that it includes measures to stimulate the adoption of higher animal welfare standards, a reduction of the amount of farm animals and stocking densities, and to increase the production and consumption of plant-based products at the same time;
Amendment 593 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the announcement of an impact-assessed proposal for a legislative framework for sustainable food systems; invites the Commission to use this proposal to set out a holistic, integrated common food policy aimed at reducing the environmental and climate footprint of the EU food system in order to make Europe the first climate- neutral continent by 2050 and strengthen its resilience to ensure food security in the face of climate change and biodiversity loss, leading a global transition towards sustainability from farm to fork, based on the principle of a multifunctional agricultural sector while ensuring consistency between policies by taking into account the existing legislation in order to enable all actors in the European food system to develop long- term plans based on realistic and transparent objectives; suggests that the respective base lines and progress achieved in each Member State be taken into account, while promoting the exchange of know-how and best practices between Member States; stresses the need to include the entire food and beverage chains including production, processing, marketing, transport, distribution and retail and to cover the environmental, social(including health) and economic dimensions of sustainability;
Amendment 624 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Stresses that a more sustainable food system is a prerequisite for securing the supply of safe and healthy food in the long term and that food security and food sustainability are interrelated and interdependent; highlights that food availability is generally not a major challenge in the EU, while issues such as food waste, overconsumption and obesity, as well as the environmental footprint of European households’ food consumption are more significant challenges facing the EU food system today;
Amendment 657 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Emphasises the need to ensure coherence of agricultural practices with the goals of the European Green Deal in terms of climate change, biodiversity, circular economy and zero pollution;
Amendment 663 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Invites the Commission, as part of the legal framework for sustainable food systems, to develop Food Policy Strategic plans, backed by ring-fenced EU funds, which serve to facilitate, stimulate and upscale new and existing national, regional, and local food policies; emphasises the importance of the underpinning of these plans by independent science and involvement of stakeholders of a broad variety of perspectives to ensure a legitimate and inclusive process; stresses that a new cross-cutting approach to governance is needed to ensure coherence between EU food and farming policies and those that influence them such as trade, energy, competition, and climate policies to increase synergies and avoid trade-offs;
Amendment 664 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Calls on the Commission to use the farm to fork strategy to build a truly long-term vision for Europe’s sustainable and competitive food system, able to guarantee access to healthy and quality products through binding targets for agriculture on biodiversity, climate, air pollution, water pollution, pesticides use and land degradation, while addressing sustainability issues around consumption, health and trade and safeguarding a high level of animal health and welfare, and at the same time promoting reciprocity of EU production standards with all commercial partners;
Amendment 668 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Recalls that for the FAO, agroecology is a fundamental part of the global response to climate change and for the creation of sustainable food and agricultural systems, the new legislative framework for sustainable food systems, to be proposed until 2023, must be based on the principles and elements defined by the FAO as agroecology in order to trigger a true agroecological transition;
Amendment 676 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 c (new)
Paragraph 2 c (new)
2c. Calls on the farm to fork strategy to deliver together with the Biodiversity Strategy on the EU’s climate and environmental objectives through protection and restoration of ecosystems currently used for food production with a particular focus on the restoration of grasslands and drained peatlands, two major carbon sinks, as well as through protection of remaining natural ecosystems from further agricultural expansion such as peatlands, wetlands and old-growth forests;
Amendment 679 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 c (new)
Paragraph 2 c (new)
2c. Stresses that protection and restoration of biodiversity is crucial for safeguarding EU and global food security, and that the coherence with the EU Biodiversity Strategy, including the contribution of Natura2000 and Marine Protected Areas to support healthy food production, must be guaranteed at all times;
Amendment 680 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 d (new)
Paragraph 2 d (new)
2d. Stresses that the Common Agricultural Policy and the farm to fork strategy must be determined together at European level, in order to complement each other and protect a fair balance between production, consumer health and environment, and must be attributed adequate resources to strengthen farmers’ position in the agri-food supply chain;
Amendment 682 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 e (new)
Paragraph 2 e (new)
2e. Reiterates that to ensure a proportionate contribution from the sector, agriculture should be target-driven in the EU’s ambition to move towards net- zero emissions by mid-century or before; stresses that inclusion of farmers in climate action is crucial in order to achieve global mitigation targets without compromising global food and nutrition security and the Sustainable Development Goals;
Amendment 683 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 f (new)
Paragraph 2 f (new)
2f. Calls for a sustainable and efficient CAP which actively encourages farmers to deliver more environmental and climate benefits, including through strengthened common standards and mandatory requirements, especially for eco-schemes, providing a wide range of tools for farmers adapted to specific natural conditions to more efficiently use essential resources and inputs in food production, to improve biodiversity and soils, increase carbon sequestration, preserve sensitive habitats, contribute to the circular economy, reduce waste in the production cycle and phase-out subsidies which damage the climate;
Amendment 692 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 g (new)
Paragraph 2 g (new)
2g. Insists that bio-based industrial value chains that threaten food security, the climate and biodiversity in Europe and globally, must no longer receive any subsidies or market incentives; highlights furthermore that the strict public monitoring of the climate and biodiversity impacts of raw biomass production, in particular, will be paramount in preventing the destruction of carbon sinks;
Amendment 697 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 g (new)
Paragraph 2 g (new)
2g. Stresses the importance of robust and strict criteria for biomass-based renewable energy production and calls on the Commission to bring forward science- based criteria as part of the review of the Renewable Energy Directive;
Amendment 699 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 g (new)
Paragraph 2 g (new)
2g. Stresses that the EU rapidly needs to reduce the use of pesticides and move to ecological farming and a sustainable food system production, in order to reduce the immense costs resulting from the harmful effects on human and animal health and in order to drastically reduce the burden on the environment, including notably pollinators;
Amendment 719 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
Amendment 728 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
Amendment 782 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Points out that, in addition to revising the directive on the sustainable use of pesticides to reduce the use and risks of pesticides, the Commission should improve the environmental risk assessment for plant protection products in order to take into account the effects of pesticides on water quality and drinking water sources, including cumulative and combination effects; emphasises that pesticides that have a strong negative impact on groundwater and surface water quality, or to the production of drinking water, should be phased out as a priority, and that the substitution of harmful pesticides by low-risk substances should be promoted; stresses the need to improve policy coordination between agricultural, pesticide-, biocide- and fertiliser-related legislation and, inter alia, water legislation in order to ensure the protection of our water resources, and in particular of those used for drinking water production, from overexploitation and agricultural pollution;
Amendment 818 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Notes that several CAP measures can contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive, for example by promoting IPM and organic farming; reminds that CAP rules also require Member States to establish farm advisory systems and provide advice on IPM to all farmers; regrets however that, while the IPM principles are mandatory for farmers, they are not included as a condition for CAP payments and despite encouragement for more sustainable farming practices, there are few measures deterring farmers from using ‘standard’ PPPs rather than turning to non-chemical or alternative methods1e; calls on the Member States to convert the general IPM principles into practical and measurable criteria and verify these criteria at farm level; calls on the Commission to incorporate these measurable IPM criteria into ‘conditionality’ in the post-2020 CAP and ensure they are enforced; _________________ 1eSpecial Report of the Court of Auditors 05/2019 "Sustainable use of plant protection products: limited progress in measuring and reducing risks"
Amendment 819 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Reiterates its calls for an improved pesticide authorisation system in the EU, based on peer-reviewed scientific studies and full transparency on the degree of human and environmental exposure and health risks; calls for a revision of the pesticide legislation to make sure that Member States wishing to withdraw certain active substances will be allowed to do so based on the precautionary principle; calls for a full inclusion of chronic exposure to and cumulative and synergistic effects of pesticides to be included in their risk assessment and setting of MRLs; calls on the Commission to ensure further requirements for the prioritisation of non-chemical methods of pest control in order to move crop protection away from the reliance on chemical pesticides to sustainable non- chemical alternatives;
Amendment 842 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. Notes with interest the Commission's estimation of the EU-wide risks and impacts related to PPP use, published in November 2019, based on calculations of the two recently adopted harmonised risk indicators (one indicator based on PPP sales statistics and the other based on the number of emergency authorisations); regrets however that neither of the indicators show the extent to which the SUP Directive has been successful in achieving the EU objective of sustainable use of PPPs and that several concerns have been raised regarding the scientific rationale for the weightings used;1f calls on the Commission, in order to adequately assess the progress made towards policy objectives, to improve the harmonised risk indicators, or develop new ones that take into account, for Harmonised Risk Indicator II, agricultural areas or volumes of active substance, for Harmonised Risk Indicator I, the way PPPs are used; _________________ 1fEuropean Court of Auditors' Special Report 05/2019 "Sustainable use of plant protection products: limited progress in measuring and reducing risks"
Amendment 852 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. Calls on the Commission to introduce a definition and a separate category for natural substances in horizontal legislations, as well as to establish a specific risk assessment and authorisation procedure for these naturally occurring substances to facilitate their registration and to increase the availability of alternative plant healthcare strategies;
Amendment 857 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. Calls on the Commission to establish the appropriate regulatory framework to speed up the adoption of new plant health solutions, including plant protection products with a lower impact, such as low-risk substances or biosolutions;
Amendment 860 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 d (new)
Paragraph 3 d (new)
3d. Reiterates its calls to only present draft implementing regulations to extend the approval periods of substances for which the current state of science is not expected to lead to a Commission proposal for non-renewal of the authorisation of the active substance concerned, and to withdraw the approvals for substances if proof or reasonable doubt exists that they will not meet the safety criteria laid down in Regulation; reiterates its calls on the Member States to ensure the proper and timely reassessment of the authorisations for the active substances for which they are the reporting Member States, and to ensure that current delays are solved effectively as soon as possible;
Amendment 872 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 e (new)
Paragraph 3 e (new)
3e. Emphasises the need to improve policy coordination between agricultural legislation, particularly legislation on plant protection products, biocides and fertilisers, and, inter alia, water legislation, in order to ensure the protection of our water resources, particularly those used for drinking water supply , from overexploitation and agricultural pollution;
Amendment 877 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 f (new)
Paragraph 3 f (new)
3f. Points out that about half of the fruit and vegetables in the EU is currently free from (measurable) synthetic pesticide residues and that the other half still poses serious risks to human health, especially the unborn, notably the 27% of all fruit and vegetables on the EU market that contain cocktails of pesticides; calls therefore for a zero-pollution policy of food and a total phase-out of pesticide residues in food in 2030, and urges the Commission to introduce regulatory measures to ensure at least a 50% reduction of the occurrence of cocktails of pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables by 2025;
Amendment 880 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 g (new)
Paragraph 3 g (new)
3g. Underlines the importance of transparency and disclosure towards consumers about the contamination levels in and on their food; calls on the Commission to set up a pesticide labelling scheme for food produced in, or imported into, the EU in order to enhance consumer choice, which should inform consumers about any pesticide treatments that have been applied during the production of the food in question, taking into account the dose and frequency of treatment, the residues, as well as the toxicity of the chemicals used;
Amendment 881 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 h (new)
Paragraph 3 h (new)
3h. Calls for regulatory measures to involve retailers in the food chain to act as chain manager and to implement all available IPM-practices and methods for every crop in their chain and to implement the EU goals and reduction targets from the farm to fork strategy; calls for mandatory yearly reporting of every food chain on the implementation and progress regarding the goals and reduction targets;
Amendment 882 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 i (new)
Paragraph 3 i (new)
3i. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to acknowledge and reiterate the need for the implementation of a systematic post-market vigilance system, which includes the collection, sharing and analysis of data on real-life behaviour and practices of operators, on environmental impact and on illnesses related to PPPs, including those suspected of being caused by EDCs; calls for the data collected through post-market biomonitoring to be used to verify the accuracy of predicted exposure levels for farm workers, bystanders and consumers, as well as farm animals;
Amendment 884 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 k (new)
Paragraph 3 k (new)
3k. Welcomes EFSA's encouragement of the use of in vitro methods in assessing the safety of feed additives for food handlers and its tiered approach to toxicological testing for pesticides; believes, however, that more must be done to promote the development and use of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) in this regard to significantly reduce tests on animals and ensure better health and environmental protection;
Amendment 885 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 l (new)
Paragraph 3 l (new)
3l. Calls for measures to facilitate the incorporation of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) in chemical food and feed risk assessments, contributing to European (PARC) and international (OECD, APCRA) initiatives and complementing the farm to fork strategy, reducing the need for tests using animals and ultimately contributing to the complete phase-out of animal testing;
Amendment 887 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 m (new)
Paragraph 3 m (new)
3m. Welcomes the targets to halve nutrient losses and cut fertiliser use by 20%; urges the Commission to prioritise reductions in “new” N and P inputs from synthetic fertilisers and from livestock feed imports; emphasises the importance of pursuing these targets through holistic and circular approaches to nutrients management, such as agroecological practices, which can deliver co-benefits for soil quality and biodiversity and help farmers end their dependency on mineral fertilisers;
Amendment 888 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 n (new)
Paragraph 3 n (new)
3n. Reiterates the crucial importance of protecting bees and other pollinators against the harmful effects of pesticides; reiterates its call on the Commission to ensure that Bee Guidance is based on the latest scientific and technical knowledge, and thus proposes modifying the uniform principles, not only with regard to acute toxicity for honeybees, but at least also with regard to chronic toxicity and larval toxicity for honeybees and acute toxicity for bumblebees; stresses that the level of protection must in any case not be lower than the bee guidance established by EFSA in 2013;
Amendment 953 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises the importance of recognising the significant impact of agriculture and especially animal production on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and land use; stresses the need to enhance natural carbon sinks and reduce agricultural emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, in particular in the feed and livestock sectors; calls for regulatory measures and binding targets to ensure progressive reductions in all GHG emissions in these sectors;
Amendment 957 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Underlines that future agriculture and food policies should facilitate the transition to sustainable farming by rewarding farmers for the environmental and climate public goods they deliver, better reflecting the challenges faced by farmers and society, the need for change, and to support farmers in making low carbon choices the norm; stresses that farms and farm businesses should be made more resource efficient, low carbon, ecologically sound, sustainable and resilient thus enabling farms to become more independent and able to align themselves with what European citizens want from their rural environment;
Amendment 974 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Recalls that while agriculture is responsible for around 10 % of the EU’s GHG emissions, it has the potential to help the EU reduce its emissions through good soil management, agro-forestry, the protection of biodiversity and other land management techniques; recognises that global agriculture has the potential to make annual emission savings of about 3,9 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalents by 2050 – around 8 % of the current global GHG emissions;
Amendment 980 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 2 a (new)
Subheading 2 a (new)
Stepping up on animal welfare
Amendment 981 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Welcomes the Commission’s commitment to evaluate and revise the existing body of animal welfare legislation and underlines the importance of taking into account the latest advancements in animal welfare science and responding to public, political and market demands for higher animal welfare standards; expresses concern that the revision of this animal welfare legislation is only scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2023, urges the Commission to deliver concrete proposals to revise existing animal welfare legislation already by 2022 and also report annually to Parliament on its actions concerning the protection of animals during slaughter and transport;
Amendment 982 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4c. Stresses that intensive livestock production is highly unsustainable as it overloads the environment with nutrients, contributes to climate change through intensive GHG emissions, as well as air pollution and soil degradation and relies on destructive monocultures for feed production; calls for a coherent policy mix to enable a transition towards circular, extensive livestock production as part of mixed farming system, which respects the carrying capacity of the local environment and supports biodiversity;
Amendment 984 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 d (new)
Paragraph 4 d (new)
Amendment 985 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 d (new)
Paragraph 4 d (new)
4d. Urges the revision of Council Directive 98/58/EC concerning the protection of animals kept for farming purposes, which sets down generic rules that have proved difficult to implement and enforce, suggests therefore transposing this Directive into a Regulation, thereby creating the possibility of delivering delegated and implementing acts to set down welfare requirements for species for which no species-specific EU minimum standards presently exist, including dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep, goats, turkeys, ducks, geese, rabbits, farmed fish and of all their offspring;
Amendment 986 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 e (new)
Paragraph 4 e (new)
4e. Underlines the fact that technical measures to limit ammonia emissions exist, but are so far only used by a few Member States; recalls that these include: nitrogen management, taking into account the full nitrogen cycle; livestock feeding strategies to reduce nitrogen excretion from cattle, pigs and poultry; low-emission application of manure and fertiliser to land; low-emission manure storage systems; low-emission manure processing and composting systems; low- emission animal housing systems; and low-emission approaches for mineral fertiliser application;
Amendment 987 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 e (new)
Paragraph 4 e (new)
4e. Urges the revision of Council Directive 1999/74/EC laying down minimum standards for the protection of laying hens in order to rapidly phase-out and prohibit enriched battery cages and require cage-free systems for all laying hens, to create a level-playing field and improve the welfare of animals kept in the EU at the same time;
Amendment 988 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 f (new)
Paragraph 4 f (new)
4f. Regrets that methane emissions are not regulated under EU air pollution legislation and not specifically regulated under EU climate policy; highlights the various cost-effective ways of addressing methane emissions without affecting meat and milk consumption; considers that manure management offers emissions reduction potential, through the adoption of simple and cost-efficient measures from storage to spreading techniques; further considers that changing feeding strategies (e.g. adding leguminous elements such as alfalfa and flax) would significantly reduce enteric methane emissions;
Amendment 989 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 f (new)
Paragraph 4 f (new)
4f. Calls for Council Directive 2008/120/EC laying down minimum standards for the protection of pigs to be revised to inter alia remove the 28 day exemption for confining sows in individual stalls and to ensure that the animals are kept in group housing throughout the entire gestation period and farrowing;
Amendment 990 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 f (new)
Paragraph 4 f (new)
4f. Deeply regrets the lack of action to regulate clones and their descendants and reiterates that natural or artificial breeding or breeding procedures which cause, or are likely to cause, suffering or injury to any of the animals concerned must not be practised and that it is necessary to ensure that food from cloned animals and their descendants does not enter the food chain; calls on the Commission to present a new legal proposal without undue delay to avoid the import of cloned animals and their descendants and of products obtained from cloned animals and their descendants, from third countries into the EU, and to set up enforcement and traceability measures in this regard;
Amendment 992 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 h (new)
Paragraph 4 h (new)
4h. Emphasises that the transport of live animals does not only pose severe risks to the welfare and health of the animals transported, but also to public health due to the possible spread of diseases, and underlines in this regard the importance of reducing, refining and replacing live transport and to make sure that the revision of the Council Directive 1/2005/EC of 22 December 2004 on the protection of animals during transport contains comprehensive species- and category-specific requirements, especially regarding the maximum duration of a transport, and a more strict and transparent monitoring and reporting system to ensure that systematic violations will be effectively identified and prevented, and that this revision is in full alignment with the objectives of the farm to fork strategy;
Amendment 993 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 i (new)
Paragraph 4 i (new)
4i. Stresses that, in the context of food safety, environmental protection, climate action, animal welfare and equality between Member States, the Commission must at all times ensure strict enforcement of European legislation; calls on the Commission to make more and better use of infringement procedures in this regard, including strong sanctions, and reminds the Commission of the routine docking of piglets' tails which has not been allowed in the EU since 1991 but is still common practice in many Member States and stresses the need for action to end this;
Amendment 994 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 j (new)
Paragraph 4 j (new)
4j. Calls on the Commission to draw up a roadmap to ensure better welfare for broilers, that includes a timetable for phasing out the farming of chicken breeds associated with health and welfare problems, lower stocking densities without exceptions, adequate distraction facilities, sufficient natural light and space and stricter air quality parameters and calls on the Commission to revise Council Directive 2007/43/EC in order to realise a ban on the rearing of extremely fast- growing hens;
Amendment 995 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 k (new)
Paragraph 4 k (new)
4k. Stresses that, although a large proportion of sheep and goats are reared in extensive farming conditions, such as on pastureland, significant concerns exist regarding animal welfare in intensive goat and sheep farming; underlines the alarming situation of male goat-kids that are treated as a waste product, as well as problems as mutilations, lameness, transport problems and diseases caused by communicable diseases, and calls on the Commission to address these concerns in the upcoming revision of animal welfare legislation;
Amendment 996 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 l (new)
Paragraph 4 l (new)
4l. Repeats its call on the Commission and the Member States to tackle the problem of stable fires by promoting best practices and by introducing fire safety requirements, including preventive measures and sprinkler installations, and measures which guarantee that animals can escape from their stables in the event of fire;
Amendment 997 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 m (new)
Paragraph 4 m (new)
4m. Emphasises that animals should experience as little distress and stress as possible when transported and slaughtered and therefore welcomes the revision of existing animal welfare legislation on animal transport and the slaughter of animals; suggests in this regard to establish mandatory camera surveillance in slaughterhouses in the EU and to encourage Member States to ensure that trucks and vessels used to transport animals are equipped with a GPS tracking system;
Amendment 1074 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the notion of rewarding carbon sequestration in soils; stresses, however, that intensive and industrial agriculture and farming models with negative impacts on biodiversity should not receive climate funding or be incentivised; calls for the proposals to be in line with the environmental objectives and the ‘do no harm’ principle of the Green Deal; calls on the European Commission together with the Member States to define what kind of production models are considered as intensive and industrial and to provide instruments to bring about change on those farms to become consistent with the principles and objectives defined in the Green Deal;
Amendment 1080 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the notion of rewardpromoting carbon sequestration in soils; stresses, however,reminds of the importance of nature-based solutions, such as agroecology or ecosystem restoration, especially peatland restoration, for increasing natural carbon sinks; warns against reliance on voluntary carbon markets or other carbon trading schemes, stresses that intensive and industrial agriculture and farming models with negative impacts on biodiversity should not receive climate funding or be incentivised; calls for the proposals to be in line with the environmental objectives and the ‘do no harm’ principle of the Green Deal;
Amendment 1147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Underlines the importance of seed security and diversity, notably of promoting EU- sustainably grown plant proteins as part of long crop rotations to deliver locally sourced food and feed stuffs with high nutritional value while granting farmers access to quality seeds for plant varieties adapted to the pressures of climate change, including traditional and locally-adapted varieties, while ensuring access to innovative plant breeding in order to contribute to healthy seeds and protect plants against harmful pests and diseases; raises awareness of the potential negative effects of concentration and monopolisation in the seed sector; and varieties suitable for organic production, while ensuring access to diverse, participatory and innovative plant breeding, which pass a proper risk assessment process, in order to contribute to healthy seeds and protect plants against harmful pests and diseases, while ensuring transparency and freedom of choice to farmers, processors and consumers, in line with the European Court of Justice judgement in Case C- 528/16 which stipulates that food crops modified by genome editing are subject to the requirements of GMO legislation, including risk assessment, traceability and labelling; raises awareness of the potential negative effects of concentration and monopolisation in the seed sector and the detrimental role played by wide-scoped patents in this phenomenon; stresses the importance to halt and reverse the current concentration of power in the hands of only a few multinationals; calls for the inclusion of sustainability and food security criteria in competition law to be able to refuse mergers and takeovers that hinder the sustainability and food security ambitions of the EU; invites the Commission to present an EU strategy on genetic resources;
Amendment 1150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
Amendment 1182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Underlines that inconsistencies between different EU policies affecting our food system have hindered progress towards EU’s international commitments on the SDGs and a truly sustainable European food system; stresses that the farm to fork strategy and the European Green Deal must ensure full policy coherence between agriculture, environment, trade and climate policies; calls on the CAP National Strategic Plans to fully support the implementation of existing EU environmental law and to contribute to the objectives of the Green Deal in order to ensure coherence with EU’s climate and environmental targets;
Amendment 1187 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Deeply deplores that the opportunity to fundamentally reform the CAP has been wasted, and that the stances taken by Parliament and Council will lock in our agricultural sector even deeper in unsustainable farming methods; points out that even the Commission's analysis shows that the ambitions and goals of the European Green Deal will not be met with the current positions of the legislators;
Amendment 1199 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Calls on the Commission and on Member States to promote the agro- ecological farming practices in EU agriculture based on the set of principles as defined by FAO1g, in particular through the CAP Strategic Plans, in order to transform the EU’s food and agricultural system, to mainstream sustainable agriculture and to achieve Zero Hunger and multiple other SDGs; _________________ 1gThe 10 Elements of Agroecology Guiding the Transition to Sustainable Food and Agricultural Systems http://www.fao.org/3/I9037EN/i9037en.pd f
Amendment 1207 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls for CAP National Strategic Plans to ensure adequate financial support and incentives to promote new ecological ‘green’ business models for agriculture and artisanal food production, notably through fostering short supply chains and quality food production; fully contribute to the farm to fork targets and ambition, and to include a national target for organic land based on an analysis of the organic sector’s current development and potential in each Member State; calls on the European Commission to only approve CAP National Strategic Plans if they demonstrate their contribution to European Green Deal objectives, given Member States respective baselines, and to make sure that all CAP National Strategic Plans together meet the Union- wide targets; calls on Member States to ensure adequate financial support and incentives to promote new ecological ‘green’ business models for agriculture and artisanal food production, notably through fostering short supply chains, pesticide free and high-quality, local food production; stresses that such models should support farmers in the transition towards climate neutrality and biodiversity conservation, and calls for eco-schemes to include a funding mechanism to help farmers transition away from animal agriculture, towards plant-crop farming, to ensure a healthy and sustainable future;
Amendment 1217 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls for CAP National Strategic Plans to ensure adequate financial support and incentives to promote new ecological ‘green’ business models for agriculture and artisanal food production, notably through fostering short supply chains and quality food production; to achieve these objectives, stresses that it is essential that European regions should be able to continue to perform their role as managing authorities in order to support the transitions as locally as possible and to ensure that the future strategic plans meet local needs;
Amendment 1281 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Welcomes the explicit recognition of a safeguard of the social rights of workers in the food chain; recalls that this has been endorsed by the European Parliament with the introduction of the social conditionality for the CAP basic payment in its position on the national strategic plans Regulation;
Amendment 1287 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8b. Underlines that the COVID 19 pandemic presents the EU with the unique opportunity to rethink the European agriculture and food systems with a more sustainable and socially just vision;
Amendment 1298 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Recalls that the European food system delivers a sufficient and varied supply of safe, nutritious, affordable and sustainable food to people at all times and underlines that increasing the economic, environmental and social sustainability of food producers will ultimately increase their resilience; encourages the Commission and Member States to consider the food supply chain and its workers as a strategic asset for the safety and well-being of all Europeans; and to ensure that working and social protection conditions throughout the EU food supply chain meet national, EU and international standards for all workers;
Amendment 1317 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Recalls that the European food system generally delivers a sufficient and varied supply of safe, and nutritious, affordable and sustainable food to people at all times and underlines that increasing the economic, environmental and social sustainability of food producers will ultimately increase their resilience; encourages the Commission to consider the food supply cha food to people at all times; points out, however, that an estimated 11% of the population (49 million people, EU-27) are unable to afford a quality meal every second day and that COVID-19 is likely to exacerbate fin and itcial difficulties wforkers as a strategic asset for the safety and well-being of all Europea many European households; stresses that food poverty requires appropriate policy response;
Amendment 1325 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Underlines that increasing the economic, environmental and social sustainability of food producers will ultimately increase their resilience; encourages the Commission to consider the food supply chain and its workers as a strategic asset for the safety and well- being of all Europeans;
Amendment 1338 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Underlines that robust and reliable legal frameworks for the fisheries and aquaculture sector, aligned with the updated Strategic Guidelines for the sustainable development of EU aquaculture, should provide the basis for better protection measures with subsequent increases in fish populations and more clarity regarding the use of veterinary drugs, including antibiotics, space and licenses in aquaculture, allowing for greater predictability for investments; stresses that good traceability mechanisms and high sustainability and animal welfare standards for all products sold on EU markets are essential to ensure transparency for consumers, the sector and the different administrations, and to achieve the targets of the Green Deal and the SDGs;
Amendment 1350 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Welcomes the development of algae as an alternative protein for human consumption and notes it could also be used to replace fishmeal and oil in animal feeds; underlines that the use of wild- caught pelagic fish to feed fish raised in aquaculture systems is unsustainable and alternative proteins are needed;
Amendment 1356 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 c (new)
Paragraph 10 c (new)
10c. Notes that EU animal welfare legislation is currently not applicable to marine invertebrates, while several third countries have included these animals in their animal welfare legislation; calls on the Commission and the Member States to take steps to improve the welfare of marine invertebrates, like crabs and lobsters, by including these animals in their animal welfare legislation;
Amendment 1362 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Expresses its deep concern about the emergence of zoonotic diseases that are transferred from animals to humans (anthropozoonoses), such as Q fever, avian influenza and the new strain of influenza A (H1N1), which is exacerbated by anthropogenic climate change, the destruction of biodiversity, environmental degradation and our current food production systems; underlines that the intensive animal production systems, which involve the confinement of thousands of animals of a similar genotype in close proximity to one another under chronically stressful conditions can significantly compromise animal welfare and increases their susceptibility to infectious disease, creating conditions for the emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases;
Amendment 1390 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Expresses its deep concern about the increasingly frequent emergence of zoonotic diseases that are transferred from animals to humans (anthropozoonoses), such as Q fever, avian influenza and the new strain of influenza A (H1N1), which is exacerbated by anthropogenic climate change, the destruction of biodiversity, environmental degradation and our current food production and consumption systems;
Amendment 1403 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Welcomes the emphasis placed on the need to reduce antibiotics use in animal agriculture and stresses that EU initiatives in this area should adopt a One Health approach that recognises the interdependence between the health and well-being of humans, animals and the planet; calls to ensure equivalent standards for products of animal origin imported into the EU as those adopted under the Veterinary Medicines Regulation; notes the need, as part of the revision of the feed additives Regulation, to address substances currently not classified as antibiotics, such as coccidiostats, that may be used in animal agriculture in high quantities for preventative use and thereby compensate for poor animal husbandry practices;
Amendment 1405 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Notes that outbreaks of animal diseases have disastrous consequences for the health and welfare of animals, farmers and local residents; stresses that human and animal health must prevail at all times and that a drastic reduction of intensive livestock farming and the amount of animals kept in the EU for agricultural purposes is necessary in this regard;
Amendment 1411 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11b. Is deeply worried about the potential of intensive livestock farms to facilitate the spread of pests and epidemic diseases, especially in areas with a high concentration of intensive farms; urges the Commission, Member States and regional authorities to use all means to their disposal to protect public and animal health, including notably spatial zoning policy ensuring a sufficiently large buffer strip between industrial farms and populated areas, and to regulate a maximum stocking density;
Amendment 1476 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Urges the Commission to follow up on Directive (EU) 2019/633 on unfair trading practices22 and the EU code of conduct on responsible business and marketing practices by producing a monitoring framework for the food and retail sectors and providing for legal action if progress in integrating economic, environmental and social sustainability into corporate strategies is insufficient, and in so doing promoting and rewarding the efforts of sustainable agricultural producers while increasing the availability and affordability of healthy, sustainable food options and reducing the overall environmental footprint of the food system; insists on the need for the EU code of conduct for food and retail businesses to focus on commitments which are relevant to shaping healthy and sustainable food environments, and which are specific, measurable and time bound, and centred on key operations of the entities involved; stresses the importance of halting and addressing consolidation and concentration in the grocery retail sector in order to ensure fair prices for farmers; _________________ 22 OJ L 111, 25.4.2019, p. 59.
Amendment 1480 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Urges the Commission to follow up on Directive (EU) 2019/633 on unfair trading practices22 and the EU code of conduct on responsible business and marketing practices by producing a monitoring framework for the food and retail sectors and providing for legal action if progress in integrating economic, environmental and social sustainability into corporate strategies is insufficient, and in so doing promoting and rewarding the efforts of sustainable agricultural producers while increasing the availability and affordability of healthy, sustainable food options and reducing the overall environmental footprint of the food system; stresses the importance of halting and addressing consolidation and concentration in the grocery retail sector in order to ensure fair prices for farmers; recalls the importance of making farmers more resilient in the market by getting more value out of the food chain, which is achieved by encouraging their participation in producer organisations or cooperatives; _________________ 22 OJ L 111, 25.4.2019, p. 59.
Amendment 1512 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Stresses that self-regulation is not effective enough and that the proposed EU code of conduct should be accompanied by binding targets and measures to discourage non-compliance, such as administrative or economic sanctions, as this is the only means to ensure business operators to improve formulation of processed food and levels of nutrients;
Amendment 1513 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Calls on the Commission to bring forward proposals for better cooperation between farmers, already allowed under competition rules, and to support investment in improving production and marketing structures to make them more robust, stable, secure and profitable for farmers as means of helping strengthen their position in the chain;
Amendment 1518 #
13b. Highlights that the COVID-19 pandemic shed new light on the challenging working and living conditions of millions of workers in the agricultural sector in Europe, notably those working in slaughterhouses, and calls for the recognition of the importance of protecting workers’ individual and collective labour and social rights, thereby reinforcing the ‘social dimension’ of EU agriculture, and calls on the Commission to strengthen measures focusing on the rights, working and employment conditions and social protection of farm labourers including migrants and other mobile workers, and to ensure coherence between policy areas on this issue;
Amendment 1521 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 c (new)
Paragraph 13 c (new)
13c. Calls for the recognition of the food distribution system, based on the proximity of retail outlets to consumers, both in urban and rural areas, as essential to ensure access to food to all European citizens, avoiding the so-called food deserts that occur in the USA;
Amendment 1539 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Urges the review of the EU promotion programme for agricultural and food products, including the EU school scheme, with a view to bringing it into coherence with the objectives of the Green Deal and farm to fork strategy and enhancing its contribution to sustainable production and consumption, notably by focusing on educational messages about the importance of healthy nutrition, short local and regional supply chains and promoting greater consumption of fruit and vegetables with the aim of reducing obesity rates;
Amendment 1590 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 c (new)
Paragraph 14 c (new)
14c. Takes note of the Commission's implementing decision of 16 December 2020 on the financing of information provision and promotion measures concerning agricultural products implemented in the internal market and in third countries and the adoption of the work programme for 2021; welcomes the recognition that there is an urgent need to reduce dependency on pesticides and antimicrobials, reduce excess fertilisation, increase organic farming, improve animal welfare, and reverse biodiversity loss and that the annual work programme’s orientation should therefore include topics that highlight and favour products complying with these objectives; sees the ring-fencing of half of the annual work programme’s budget on promoting organic products, on highlighting the environmental sustainability of Union agriculture and on promoting the consumption of fruit and vegetables in the context of balanced, healthy diets as a step into the right direction, but stresses that more should be done to achieve the targets of the farm to fork and the Green Deal; calls on the Commission to ensure that in the next annual work programme, the entire budget is ring-fenced to sustainable, organic and plant based products and promotes short and local food chains;
Amendment 1595 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 d (new)
Paragraph 14 d (new)
14d. Denounces the use of the EU promotion programme for false and misleading claims on animal welfare, as was for example recently ruled by the SRC, the self-regulation system of advertising in The Netherlands, in the case of a promotion campaign for chicken, and calls on the Commission to ensure that misleading advertising campaigns are not co-financed with EU funding;
Amendment 1620 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Amendment 1651 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls for a comprehensive and complementary range of measures to reduce the burden that highly processed foods with high salt, sugar and fat content place on public health; regrets that the introduction of nutrient profiles is greatly delayed andcalls that nutrient profiles, which are long overdue, remain pertinent and necessary to meet the objectives of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on Nutrition and Health Claims; welcomes the announcement of a legislative proposal to establish nutrient profiles; points out that many food products, including some marketed towards children, continue to use health and nutrition claims despite them having high levels of nutrients of concern; stresses that a robust set of nutrient profiles must be developed to restrict or prohibit the use of false nutritional claims on foods high in fats, sugars and/or salt; calls for a mandatory EU-wide front-of-pack nutrition labelling system based on independent science;
Amendment 1688 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Highlights that 1 in 2 adults is overweight or obese in the EU, demonstrating the need for stronger action to help stem this public health crisis; recognises that front-of-pack nutritional labels have been identified by international public health bodies such as the World Health Organisation as a key tool to help consumers make more informed and healthier food choices; calls on the Commission to ensure that the EU mandatory front-of-pack nutritional label is developed based on robust, independent scientific evidence and demonstrated consumer understanding; stresses furthermore that to facilitate comparison across products, it should include an interpretive element and be based on uniform reference amounts such as per 100g/100ml;
Amendment 1719 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 c (new)
Paragraph 16 c (new)
16c. Recalls the growing importance attached by producers and consumers to origin labelling; insists that such labelling should be established at EU level, should not undermine the smooth functioning of the internal market, be fully verifiable and traceable, and should be compatible with the EU's international obligations;
Amendment 1726 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. WRegrets the lack of action to ensure that all food contact materials are safe and sustainable, welcomes the Commission’s commitment to revise the EU legislation on food contact materials (FCM); reiterates its call to revise the legislation on FCM in line with the regulation on the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals (REACH), as well as classification, labelling and packaging regulations, and to insert, without further delay, specific provisions to substitute endocrine disrupting chemicals; calls for the revision to also include inks and other materials in contact with food and likely to migrate into it and to cover all most common and all hazardous contaminants in FCMs;
Amendment 1734 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Welcomes the Commission’s commitment to revise the EU legislation on food contact materials (FCM); reiterates its call to revise the legislation on FCM in line with the regulation on the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals (REACH), as well as classification, labelling and packaging regulations, and to insert, without further delay, specific provisions to substitute endocrine disrupting chemicals; stresses that equal safety requirements should be applied to virgin and recycled materials;
Amendment 1741 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Welcomes the intention of the Commission to establish rules for the safe recycling into food contact materials of plastic materials other than PET, and calls on the Commission to also establish rules on other streams including the inks, liners and glues allowed on the internal market to ensure that hazardous chemicals and compounds, such as heavy metals, MOSH/MOAH and other endocrine disrupting and otherwise hazardous chemicals do not end up in recycled plastic, paper and cardboard to ensure safe food packaging;
Amendment 1742 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Insists further on the need for comprehensive, harmonised regulation of all FCMs, which should be based on the precautionary principle, the principle of ‘no data, no market’, comprehensive safety assessments that address all the relevant safety and health endpoints and are based on the latest scientific data for all chemicals used in FCMs, effective enforcement and improved information to consumers;
Amendment 1745 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Notes that vast majority of chemicals in the EU is currently regulated on a case-by-case basis and for each specific use while ample evidence justifies that for the most harmful chemicals the generic approach to risk management becomes the default option, in particular as regards their use in consumer products; calls, therefore, on the Commission to extend the generic approach to risk management across legislation to ensure that substances used in agriculture, food production and processing do not contain chemicals that cause cancers, gene mutations, affect the reproductive or the endocrine system, or are persistent and bio-accumulative;
Amendment 1753 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Welcomes the fact that the strategy rightly recognises the role and influence of the food environment in shaping consumption patterns and the need to make it easier for consumers to choose healthy and sustainable diets; reiterates the importance of promoting sustainable diets by raising consumer awareness of the impacts of consumption patterns and providing information on diets that are better for human health and have a lower environmental footprint, such as products from short local and regional supply chains; underlines the important role which consumer organisations can play in this regard; underlines that food prices must send the right signal to consumers; welcomstresses, therefore, the strategy’s objective that the healthy and sustainable choice should become the most affordable one; at the shift to a more sustainable food system cannot rely solely on individual choices by consumers and that a range of actions, including regulation, is needed to make food production more sustainable by default;
Amendment 1755 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Welcomes the fact that the strategy rightly recognises the role and influence of the food environment in shaping consumption patterns and the need to make it easier for consumers to choose healthy and sustainable diets; regrets, however, the lack of a systematic and evidence-based approach to creating healthy food environments and the renewed reliance on self-regulation via a code of conduct, reiterates the importance of promoting sustainable diets by changing the food environment, raising consumer awareness of the impacts of consumption patterns and providing information on diets that are better for human health and have a lower environmental footprint; underlines that food prices must send the right signal to consumers; welcomes, therefore, the strategy’s objective that the healthy and sustainable choice should become the most affordable one;
Amendment 1773 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Welcomes the fact that the strategy rightly recognises the role and influence of the food environment in shaping consumption patterns and the need to make it easier for consumers to choose healthy and sustainable diets; reiterates the importance of promoting sustainable diets by raising consumer awareness of the impacts of consumption patterns and providing information on diets that are better for human health and have a lower environmental footprint and alerting consumer on the proliferation of ultra- processed products that are presented as healthy copies; underlines that food prices must send the right signal to consumers; welcomes, therefore, the strategy’s objective that the healthy and sustainable choice should become the most affordable one;
Amendment 1796 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Amendment 1801 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 b (new)
Paragraph 18 b (new)
18b. Underlines that the affordability of healthy and sustainable food choices is the main obstacle to the adoption by consumers of healthy and sustainable diets and that food prices must send the right signal to consumers; welcomes, therefore, the strategy’s objective that the healthy and sustainable choice should become the most affordable one; invites the Commission to launch a study to quantify in economic terms the environmental and societal (including health-related) costs associated with the production and consumption of the most consumed food products on the EU market, as a first step towards moving towards true cost accounting for food;1a _________________ 1aSpecial Eurobarometer 505. Making our food fit for the future – Citizens’ expectations. October 2020. ‘Healthy, sustainable food choices are affordable’ was the answer most frequently given by consumers when asked about what would help them to adopt a healthy and sustainable diet.
Amendment 1804 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 c (new)
Paragraph 18 c (new)
18c. Welcomes the future legislative proposals to improve consumer information on food origin; highlights that origin is the most important factor for Europeans when buying food; reminds the Commission of the Parliament’s resolutions of 11 February 2015 and 12 May 2016, where Parliament called for mandatory origin labelling of drinking milk, dairy products and meat used as an ingredient in processed foods; adds furthermore that mandatory labelling of origin should also be extended to seafood products, not least those that are preserved or processed;
Amendment 1805 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 c (new)
Paragraph 18 c (new)
18c. Invites the Commission to launch a study to quantify in economic terms the environmental and societal (including health-related) costs associated with the production and consumption of the most consumed food products on the EU market, and to conduct an inventory of international true cost/true pricing-related initiatives and analyses, and an assessment of the strong and weak points and lessons learned of the variety of methods and approaches in use, as a first step towards moving towards true cost accounting for food;
Amendment 1807 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 d (new)
Paragraph 18 d (new)
18d. Welcomes the future legislative proposals to improve consumer information on food origin; highlights that origin is the most important factor for Europeans when buying food and therefore reiterates its calls for mandatory origin labelling of drinking milk, dairy products and meat used as an ingredient in processed foods; adds furthermore that mandatory labelling of origin should also be extended to seafood products, not least those that are preserved or processed; stresses that the existing country of origin labelling has many defects and omissions (for instance packaged mixed vegetables) and in some cases such as with honey creates more confusion than clarity, calls for amendments to ensure full transparency and counter fraud;
Amendment 1808 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 d (new)
Paragraph 18 d (new)
Amendment 1810 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 e (new)
Paragraph 18 e (new)
18e. Highlights that too many unsubstantiated and even misleading environmental claims are being used on food, creating confusion among consumers and making it difficult for them to identify the products that are more environmentally friendly; calls on the Commission to introduce a new regulatory framework establishing a clear, swift and efficient pre-approval procedure for all green claims and labels, taking into account the experience gained in the application of the system already in place for health and nutrition claims; stresses that such framework would protect consumers from untruthful green claims while ensuring that businesses who genuinely strive for more environmentally friendly operations are duly rewarded for their efforts;
Amendment 1813 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 f (new)
Paragraph 18 f (new)
18f. Stresses that Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 requires that where the origin of a food is given and is different from the one of its primary ingredient, the origin of the primary ingredient shall be given or at least indicated as being different to the origin of the food; points out that in practice that means that products whose primary ingredients are not locally or regionally sourced can be marketed as such if the origin of said non-local primary ingredients is indicated in small print; underlines that there is an imbalance between the visibility of marketing practices that use national, regional and local names and symbols for products whose primary ingredients are not nationally, regionally or locally sourced and EU labelling requirements; considers this to be detrimental to the consumers' right to be properly informed and potentially misleading; calls on the Commission to rectify that imbalance;
Amendment 1816 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 g (new)
Paragraph 18 g (new)
18g. Points out that Directive 2001/110 regulates that honey sold on European markets is either labelled as coming from a specific country, as ‘EU’ or as ‘non- EU’, or as both ‘EU and non-EU’ honey blends. In both non-EU cases, blended or not, the consumer is not aware whether the product is actually genuine EU standard quality honey, meaning without added sugar syrup, for example; calls on the Commission and Member States to support the EU beekeeping sector by reinforcing import inspections in order to prevent imports of adulterated honey; considers that the current rules are not fit for purpose as they provide ambiguous information to consumers and facilitate the import and sale of low quality or adulterated honey in the EU; calls on the Commission to propose legislative changes for honey labelling rules that will result in better consumer information and support the EU beekeeping sector;
Amendment 1817 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 g (new)
Paragraph 18 g (new)
18g. Underlines the need to establish method-of-production labels on animal products and products derived from animals, containing the date and place of birth, rearing and slaughter of the animal of concern as well as other relevant information such as the housing systems in which it was kept, in order to increase transparency, help consumers to make a better choice and contribute to the welfare of animals;
Amendment 1818 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 h (new)
Paragraph 18 h (new)
18h. Stresses the need that labelling and marketing rules favour the much needed transition towards sustainable diets, especially sustainable proteins, and stresses that the transition towards more plant based proteins should be promoted, not hindered; calls furthermore for the long overdue rules for clear labelling for vegetarian and vegan suitable foods to be put forward without further undue delay;
Amendment 1819 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 i (new)
Paragraph 18 i (new)
18i. Stresses the role of retailers and the hospitality sector in creating the food environment which greatly influences consumer behaviour, calls for measures, including regulation, to ensure a healthy food environment, including but not limited to addressing the unhealthy snack promotions at cash registers and the dramatic increase in the number of fast- food restaurants in city centres, along highways and at public transportation hubs;
Amendment 1839 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Reaffirms its beliefUnderlines that policy measures that are dependent solely on consumer choice lack efficacy and unduly shift the responsibility to purchase sustainable products to consumers; notes that third- party certification and labelling alone are not effective in ensuring sustainable production and consumption;
Amendment 1923 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Considers that the further development of plant protein production and alternative sources of protein in the EU is a way of effectively addressing many of the environmental and climate challenges that EU agriculture is facing, as well as preventing deforestation in countries outside the EU, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation in countries outside the EU; calls on the Commission to present an EU protein transition strategy covering the demand and the supply side, prioritising food over feed production, enhancing EU self- sufficiency and lowering overall environmental and climate impacts;
Amendment 1949 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Considers that the further development of sustainable plant protein production and alternative sources of protein in the EU is a way of effectively addressing many of the environmental and climate challenges that EU agriculture is facing, as well as preventing deforestation in countries outside the EU;
Amendment 1953 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Recalls its resolution of 15 January 2020 on the European Green Deal and its resolution of 22 October 2020 on an EU legal framework to halt and reverse EU-driven global deforestation and its repeated demand to the Commission to present, without delay, a proposal for an EU legal framework based on mandatory due diligence to ensure sustainable and deforestation-free supply chains for products placed on the Union market, with a particular focus on tackling the main drivers of imported deforestation and instead encouraging imports that do not create deforestation and ecosystem degradation abroad;
Amendment 2006 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Recommends that the criteria are developed in a way that they integrate principles of the circular economy, ensure the reduction of packaging and food waste and can be used beyond public authorities by corporate groups reporting on sustainability and covered by non- financial reporting policy as well as private institutions offering the same services as public services;
Amendment 2013 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
Amendment 2043 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Calls for the comprehensive measurement of unharvested food and food ploughed back into the field, and for the identification of the trading practices and policy changes needed to prevent such food waste; stresses that CAP Strategic Plans should include Food Loss and Waste prevention actions at farm level, including support for the development of Short Food Supply Chains, which lower the risks of generating food waste;
Amendment 2068 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Welcomes the proposed revision of EU rules on date marking; stresses that any change to date marking rules should be science based and should improve the use of date marking by actors in the food chain, including Horeca, and its understanding by consumers, in particular ‘best before’ labelling, while at the same time not undermining food safety or quality;
Amendment 2073 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Highlights with concern the downward trend across the EU in both the number of official food controls undertaken and the resources allocated to them; supports the Commission in its efforts to combat food fraud; considers that the punishment should fit the crime in cases of intentional food fraud and calls on Member States to adequately reflect that principle in national legislation, in line with the Official Controls Regulation 2017/625;
Amendment 2079 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Expresses its concern on the dynamics resulting from the process of concentration and the increasing dominant power of financial investors in the food supply chain, which lead to lower food quality and worsening of working conditions;
Amendment 2094 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Underlines the importance EU funding for research and innovation as a key driver in accelerating the transition to a more sustainable, healthy and inclusive European food system while facilitating investments needed to encourage agro- ecological practices in both social and technological innovation, including the promotion of NAMs, and the crucial role of farm advisory services in ensuring the transfer of knowledge to the farming community, drawing on the existing specialised training systems for farmers in Member States; welcomes the proposed earmarking of funds under Horizon Europe for research into the availability and sources of alternative plant, microbial and marine algae based proteins; warns against excessive reliance on technological innovations which do not address the root causes of problems nor the systemic environmental issues faced by the agricultural sector; reminds that many alternatives to excessive use of agricultural inputs such as chemical pesticides already exist and that it is essential to focus on better uptake by farmers; recalls that the precautionary principle underpins the EU Directive on GMO (Dir. 2001/18/EC) and that the 2018 ruling the Court of Justice of the EU strengthens the precautionary protection of human and environment;
Amendment 2119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Underlines the importance EU funding for research and innovation as a key driver in accelerating the transition to a more sustainable, healthy and inclusive European food system while facilitating investments needed to encourage agro- ecological practices in both social and technological innovation, and the crucial role of farm advisory services in ensuring the transfer of knowledge to the farming community, drawing on the existing specialised training systems for farmers in Member States; stresses the strategic importance of collective approaches through producer organisations and cooperatives to bring farmers together in achieving their goals;
Amendment 2156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Calls for clear commitments to ringfence 25% of the budget for research and innovation for organic farming and agro-ecological approaches, both in national research and innovation (R&I) programmes and European frameworks (e.g. Horizon Europe), in line with the farm to fork targets to reduce pesticides and to reach 25% organic land at EU level;
Amendment 2167 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)
Paragraph 25 b (new)
25b. Highlights that the farm to fork strategy and Horizon Europe place excessive emphasis on end-of-pipe solutions and technological innovation such as digitalisation, biotechnology, bio- economy, stresses that a transition from technology to knowledge, investing more in participatory research programmes, is needed in agricultural research to bring tailored solutions to farmers, in line with their specific environmental conditions; adds furthermore that to achieve this, increasing the resources available to public science and knowledge production would be required, while ending the corporate capture of certain EU research funds;
Amendment 2183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 c (new)
Paragraph 25 c (new)
25c. Highlights that the precautionary principle must be followed at all times, especially when investments in innovation are to be carried out;
Amendment 2185 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 d (new)
Paragraph 25 d (new)
25d. Stresses that the ERDF and EAFRD should be aligned to promote the goal of shorter food supply chains; emphasises furthermore that the ERDF should support cities in developing ambitious food strategies which are aligned with cities’ climate and social ambitions, and support the connection between cities and rural areas;
Amendment 2187 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 e (new)
Paragraph 25 e (new)
25e. Regrets that the global dimension of the farm to fork strategy is not ambitious enough; notes with concern that actions to address elements related to international aspects and trade are vague and non-committal;
Amendment 2242 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Amendment 2243 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Underlines that approximately 80% of global deforestation is caused by the expansion of land used for agriculture1a; stresses in this context that the Commission Communication on Stepping up EU Action to Protect and Restore the World’s Forests of July 2019 recognises that Union demand for products such as palm oil, meat, soy, cocoa, maize, timber, rubber, including in the form of processed products or services, is a large driver of deforestation, forest degradation, ecosystem destruction and associated human rights violations across the globe and represents around 10 % of the global share of deforestation embodied in total final consumption1b; in addition notes that EU consumption of other commodities, such as cotton, coffee, sugar cane, rapeseed and mangrove- farmed shrimps also contributes to global deforestation; _________________ 1aFAO. 2016. State of the World’s Forests 2016. Forests and agriculture: land-use challenges and opportunities. Rome. http://www.fao.org/3/a-i5588e.pdf 1bEuropean Commission, 2013. The impact of EU consumption on deforestation: Comprehensive analysis of the impact of EU consumption on deforestation. Final report. Study funded by the European Commission and undertaken by VITO, the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, HIVA-Onderzoeksinstituut voor Arbeid en Samenleving and International Union for the Conservation of Nature NL.
Amendment 2262 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Welcomes the explicit reference to the risk of asymmetries between the new requirements for European producers and those for imported products and calls once again on the European Commission to demand effective reciprocity in the negotiation of agreements with third countries;
Amendment 2272 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 b (new)
Paragraph 26 b (new)
26b. Considers that trade and international cooperation are important tools for consolidating higher standards of sustainability, especially with regard to sectors that are linked to agriculture, forests and their derived value chains; stresses that Union trade and investment agreements should include binding and enforceable sustainable development chapters that fully respect international commitments, in particular the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
Amendment 2275 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 b (new)
Paragraph 26 b (new)
26b. Encourages the Commission to integrate a reform of the goods classification system in its possible trade and climate initiative in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other initiatives in preparation of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference, enabling differentiation of products according to the emissions induced during their production phase;
Amendment 2278 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 b (new)
Paragraph 26 b (new)
26b. Calls on the Commission and Member States to strengthen control mechanisms both at origin and at the border in trade with third countries to safeguard the animal and plant health of European agriculture and prevent the entry of pests and diseases from outside the EU;
Amendment 2284 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 c (new)
Paragraph 26 c (new)
26c. Recommends, in the context of the ‘do no harm’ principle as highlighted in the communication on the European Green Deal, that the Commission better and regularly assess the impact of existing trade and investment agreements on deforestation, forest and ecosystem degradation, land grabbing and human rights and ensure that more ambitious binding and enforceable provisions on forest and ecosystem protection, biodiversity, on ending land grabbing and sustainable forestry are included in the trade and sustainable development chapters of all free trade and investment agreements;
Amendment 2286 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 c (new)
Paragraph 26 c (new)
26c. Calls to integrate Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development in trade and investment policies, and to monitor negative impacts of EU food exports on small-scale food and agricultural producers in third countries;
Amendment 2288 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 d (new)
Paragraph 26 d (new)
26d. Notes with concern that despite being banned in the EU, European companies continue to produce and sell pesticides to third countries with lower human health and environmental protection laws; calls on the Commission to halt the production and export of banned pesticides to third countries, some of which can be detected in food sold back to the EU market and to ensure that imported and exported chemicals and products containing thereof abide by the same standards as those governing chemicals and products produced and used in the Union in order to ensure a level playing field between EU and non- EU manufacturers;
Amendment 2289 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 d (new)
Paragraph 26 d (new)
26d. Calls on the Commission to critically reassess all current trade deals and all trade deals which are currently under negotiation on their health and environmental impacts;
Amendment 2290 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 e (new)
Paragraph 26 e (new)
26e. Strongly welcomes the intention of the Commission to lead by example, and, in line with international commitments, to ensure that hazardous chemicals, including pesticides, banned in the EU are not produced for export, including by amending relevant legislation if and as needed; invites the Commission to apply this principle also on other relevant areas by ensuring that livestock systems- and products that are not allowed in the EU, i.a. unenriched cage systems are not produced and are forbidden to export;
Amendment 2292 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 f (new)
Paragraph 26 f (new)
26f. Notes with concern that several audits carried out by DG Sante as well as detailed NGO investigations state that full traceability of live horses from Argentina destined to the European Union market is not ensured, involving food safety risks, and that animal welfare is compromised; calls on the Commission to suspend the import of horse meat from countries where applicable EU requirements relating to traceability and animal welfare are not complied with;