Activities of Carmen AVRAM related to 2020/2260(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Farm to Fork Strategy (debate)
Amendments (122)
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Citation 2 a (new)
Citation 2 a (new)
- having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Common Fisheries Policy of 11 December 2013,
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Citation 2 b (new)
Citation 2 b (new)
- having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 of 20 November 2009 establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the common fisheries policy,
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Citation 2 c (new)
Citation 2 c (new)
- having regard to the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1224/2009, (EC) No 768/2005, (EC) No 1967/2006, (EC) No 1005/2008 and Regulation (EU) No 2016/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards fisheries control (COM(2018)368),
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Citation 2 d (new)
Citation 2 d (new)
- having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1379/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the common organisation of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products,
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Citation 2 e (new)
Citation 2 e (new)
- having regard to Directive 2014/89/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning,
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion
Citation 2 g (new)
Citation 2 g (new)
- having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 30 May 2018 on the implementation of control measures for establishing the conformity of fisheries products with access criteria to the EU market (2017/2129(INI)),
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Citation 2 h (new)
Citation 2 h (new)
- having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions ‘EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: Bringing nature back into our lives’,
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Citation 2 i (new)
Citation 2 i (new)
- having regard to Scientific Opinion No 3/2017, ‘Food from the Oceans - How can more food and biomass be obtained from the oceans in a way that does not deprive future generations of their benefits?’,
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the fishery and aquaculture sectors are an integral part of the EU food system, and whereas the resilience and sustainable development of the EU food systemse sectors depends on the work of European fishers and fish farmers, as they play a key role in supporting the economic and social dimension of coastal and many inland communities;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the resilience and sustainable development of the EU food system depends, insofar as it corresponds to them, on the work of European fishers and fish farmers, as they play a key role in supporting the environmental, economic and social dimension of coastal and many inland communities;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 a (new)
Citation 5 a (new)
- having regard to the European Pillar of Social Rights,
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas the EU fisheries, aquaculture and processing sectors subscribe to the highest standards, but there is a need for review and approval to ensure environmental and social sustainability throughout the entire value chain, including labour rights and animal health and welfare, and whereas those sectors provide high-quality seafood products, thereby playing a fundamental role in the food security and nutritional well-being of the population; whereas it is therefore of the utmost importance to achieve a fisheries model that reflects the balance between the three key dimensions (environmental, social and economic) proposed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 goals;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas the unprecedented public health crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic will have repercussions for trade and the market, and has come as a serious blow to fishers throughout Europe; whereas, despite the health risks and the low price of fish, European fishers have continued to work, identifying themselves as key workers;
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 38 #
Draft opinion
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas fishing is a victim rather than a cause of climate change, as demonstrated by the many natural phenomena, such as the increase in water temperature, which have had, and will continue to have, an extremely negative impact on the profitability of the sector;
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
Ac. whereas fish caught in the wild is the source of animal protein that has by far the smallest carbon footprint; whereas, compared with other animal proteins, fish caught in the wild has the lowest environmental impact as it lives in the wild and does not require any land, artificial feeding, water supply, antibiotics or pesticides, and it is therefore the best combination for European citizens in terms of food security and climate protection;
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion
Recital A d (new)
Recital A d (new)
Ad. whereas efficient science-based fisheries management founded on ambitious, internationally agreed management targets have meant that the European fisheries sector is a global leader in terms of sustainability; whereas the sector has for a long time helped to provide European consumers with high quality products that meet high nutrition and food safety standards;
Amendment 58 #
Draft opinion
Recital A e (new)
Recital A e (new)
Ae. whereas EU consumers are showing an increasing interest in the country of origin of fishery products and their traceability throughout the food chain; whereas the existing EU legislation does not require origin to be stated on the final prepared or preserved product; whereas the information on traceability is thus lost in the food value chain;
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion
Recital A f (new)
Recital A f (new)
Af. whereas the current marketing standards apply to 75% of landings in the EU, but to less than 10% of fishery products imported from third countries; whereas this creates unfair competition for the EU fishing fleet;
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion
Recital A g (new)
Recital A g (new)
Ag. whereas one of the objectives of the common fisheries policy is to help to supply the EU market with highly nutritional food and to reduce the EU market’s dependence on food imports from third countries; whereas the current pandemic has made it even more apparent that the EU needs to be able to fully guarantee food security for its citizens and reduce its reliance on food imports from third countries;
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. ExpressesStresses that the common fisheries policy and European ocean governance are an integral part of the EU system and food supply chain, which interact closely with the European health and environment pillars at the core of the Farm to Fork Strategy; expresses, therefore, disappointment at the lack of prominence and ambition of the fisheries and aquaculture sector in the Farm to Fork Strategy; stresses that the current strategy should instead be integrated with a cross- cutting approach to fishing that considers the main EU legislation on the subject, in the light of the objectives it contains, taking due account of the three pillars of sustainable development: social, economic and environmental;
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. EWelcomes the fact that the fisheries and aquaculture sector has been included in the Farm to Fork Strategy; expresses disappointment, nevertheless, at the lack of prominence and ambition in the contribution and potential of the fisheries and aquaculture sector in the Farm to Fork Strategyas regards ensuring that the future food system is fairer, healthier and more respectful of the environment;
Amendment 75 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Regrets that whilst the Strategy rightly highlights the role of farmers as ‘custodians of the land’, it does not give the same recognition to small-scale traditional fishing, whose fishers are the backbone of the European fishing industry and who have, for some time, been at the forefront of achieving the Strategy’s objectives; whereas European fishers should be regarded and recognised as the true ‘custodians of the sea’ and have a key role to play in achieving the Strategy’s objectives;
Amendment 77 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Stresses the importance of ensuring coordination and mutual support between all Green Deal initiatives, and between the objectives of the Union and the Member States in relation to food security, climate change, marine natural resources, sustainable fisheries management, and so on;
Amendment 80 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Welcomes the Commission’s recognition of key workers during the COVID-19 pandemic; stresses that fishery workers, not just agri-food sector workers, fall under this category; calls on the Commission, therefore, to step up efforts to improve the position of European fishers in the value chain by enhancing workplace health and safety, guaranteeing them a decent wage and protecting their freedom of movement, especially in times of crisis;
Amendment 83 #
1c. Stresses that, in order to fully and effective achieve the Strategy’s objectives, an extensive preliminary socio-economic impact assessment is needed to consider all possible repercussions of the proposed measures on EU coastal communities and on the productivity and competitiveness of EU fisheries; stresses, further, that the transition to a sustainable model of production and consumption should happen gradually and in a manner that is commensurate with the EU fishing industry’s capabilities;
Amendment 84 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 d (new)
Paragraph 1 d (new)
1d. Stresses that the agreement of the fisheries sector should, in particular, be a necessary part of fully achieving the objectives of the Strategy and correctly applying its rules; expresses its disappointment, in this regard, at the Strategy’s total failure to mention any involvement of representatives from the sector in institutional forums or a bottom- up approach that fully involves European fishers in drawing up the rules that they have to apply;
Amendment 85 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 e (new)
Paragraph 1 e (new)
1e. Stresses that very often the transposition of fair and acceptable principles risks turning into onerous and excessive practices that are difficult for fishers to apply without ever really achieving the objectives that these principles set out to achieve; stresses, therefore, that the proposals in the Strategy should not pose an excessive financial and bureaucratic burden for operators in the fisheries sector;
Amendment 86 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 f (new)
Paragraph 1 f (new)
1f. Agrees with the Commission on the need to ensure that the key principles enshrined in the European Pillar of Social Rights are respected, especially with regard to precarious, seasonal and undeclared workers; stresses, to this end, that practical steps should be taken in order to meet this need, through greater cooperation with Community bodies for social dialogue, such as the EU Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for Sea Fisheries (EUSSDC), when drawing up legislative initiatives to achieve the Strategy’s objectives;
Amendment 88 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that promoting healthy and sustainable diets should privilege EU fisheries and aquaculture products, as they are an importantthe source of protein with the smallest carbon footprint and a crucial component of a healthy diet and also highlight the value of the work of fishers and women in the sector, and of aquaculture; notes that the ecological transition of food systems generally and fisheries in particular should take place in a way that ensures a fair income for the fisheries sector, strengthening its position in the value chain by grouping it into guilds, cooperatives, associations or other organisations, and conducting appropriate monitoring within the framework of the Directive on unfair trading practices;
Amendment 98 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Emphasises the need to move towards intelligent integration of global, regional and local food systems, promoting short channels in the fisheries value chain in order to improve food security, in accordance with the principles of the European single market;
Amendment 110 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the Commission’s planned assessment of the CFP, due by 2022, with ahich will need to focus on the risks triggered by climate change for the sustainability of species; calls for this evaluation to be followed up with legislative proposals to adapt the CFP to the new challenges facing the fisheries sector and to address any shortcomings that prove to be significant;
Amendment 112 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the Commission’s assessment of the CFP, due by 2022, with a focus on the risks triggered by climate change for the sustainability of species; agrees with the proposal to draw up an emergency plan to ensure the EU’s food supply and food safety in the event of future crises;
Amendment 122 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes the announced new EU Strategic Guidelines on Aquaculture and emphasises the fundamental role of this sector and the need for its development; urges the Commission and Member States to ensure that the plans for the sustainable development of aquaculture take into account the main barriers to development of the sector’s potential and recognise the need to allocate space to this sector through appropriate spatial planning; stresses that the development of aquaculture requires a solid, reliable and clear legal framework in relation to the use of space and licenses, and one that provides confidence and security for investments in the sector;
Amendment 123 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes the announced new EU Strategic Guidelines on Aquaculturefor the sustainable development of EU aquaculture 2021 – 2030 and requests member states and the European Commission to work on to effectively address the challenges as sustainable aquaculture development is a cornerstone in ensuring self-sufficiency of healthy food;
Amendment 127 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Stresses the urgent need for a food traceability system in the EU that enhances the sustainability of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors and that responds to consumer demands by providing information on where, how and what fish has been caught, primarily to improve food safety but also to enable checks throughout the chain and to combat illegal, unregulated and undocumented fishing; believes that this system should involve all actors in the value chain so that they can collaborate with each other, using simple digital systems that are easy to use and transfer and that do not entail excessive costs for operators, especially small businesses;
Amendment 128 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Welcomes the Commission’s intention to support green business models, such as those based on carbon sequestration, in order to make supply chains more sustainable; stresses, in this regard, that certain aquaculture practices, such as mussel or oyster farming, can be a successful model for the future in the context of the CO2 trading system, and calls on the Commission to invest in this type of green business in the context of the Strategy’s objectives;
Amendment 131 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Emphasizes the importance to recognize and adequately support forms of environmentally friendly aquaculture such as algae, shellfish or integrated multitrophic pond fish farming as important parts of circular economy and net contributors to excess nutrient transformation in high quality protein;
Amendment 134 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Welcomes the Commission’s intention to take action to accelerate the market deployment of energy efficiency solutions in the agriculture and food sectors; stresses, in this regard, that such actions should also take the aquaculture sector into account in order to deploy all potential forms of energy production involved in these types of farming and to promote a zero-consumption production system;
Amendment 136 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4c. Welcomes the Commission’s intention to promote organic production systems; stresses, in this regard, that in contrast to organic agriculture, organic aquaculture still has ample untapped potential for development, and it is therefore necessary to invest even greater resources in its growth;
Amendment 137 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 d (new)
Paragraph 4 d (new)
4d. Stresses the fact that all too often organic products are put in a price bracket that is beyond the reach of most European consumers; stresses, therefore, the need to establish a fair price system at EU level for organic products so that they are no longer the privilege of a few, but can form the basis of healthy eating for all;
Amendment 138 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 e (new)
Paragraph 4 e (new)
4e. Welcomes the Commission’s willingness to place a greater focus on investing in technology and green and digital practices, but expresses disappointment at the lack of any mention of fisheries and the aquaculture sector; stresses the urgent need to support fishers and actors in the fish product supply chain in the transition to more digital practices by investing heavily in training, and financing for digitisation and conversion to ‘green’ practices and tools;
Amendment 140 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Requests that the Commission and the Member States improveHighlights the importance of improving and streamlining the labelling of all fisheries products at EU level, whether fresh, frozen, processed or from aquaculture, marketed in restaurants and through retailers to allow traceability from the place of origin; stresses that this step will enhance the value of sustainable products and protect consumer rights; stresses that, to this end, the labelling must be objective, based on scientific data, non-discriminatory with regard to the actual nutritional value of the foods and able to provide exhaustive and specific information on the nutrients in the product based on the reference intakes of the average consumer, without misleading and influencing purchasing choices, in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011;
Amendment 142 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Requests that the Commission and the Member States improve the labelling of all fisheries products, whether fresh, frozen, processed or from aquaculture, marketed in restaurants and through retailers, to meet the consumers’ demands by offering information on origin, gear used and species caught, and to allow traceability from the place of origin; stresses that this step will enhance the value of sustainable products and protect consumer rights;
Amendment 147 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Stresses that a double standard between products from the EU and third countries could put EU fisheries at a competitive disadvantage in the absence of a global convergence of sustainability standards; stresses, to this end, that the labelling and traceability rules for EU products should also be applied to imported products; stresses, moreover, the need to change the current legislation which allows EU and third country products to be combined in production lines without having to declare the origin of the final product;
Amendment 148 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Stresses the need for a coordinated approach to ensure consistency between the various initiatives aimed at improving consumer information and the implementation of appropriate impact assessments, comparing the costs and benefits of different policy options pursuing similar objectives, in order to prioritise those that are most efficient;
Amendment 152 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Calls on the European Commission to put forward a proposal for a revision of Article 35 of the Common Market Organisation (CMO) Regulation, so that the mandatory provisions for consumer information can be extended to prepared or preserved fish, crustaceans, molluscs and caviar (in accordance with codes 1604 and 1605 of the Integrated Tariff of the European Union (TARIC)) and can guarantee fair competition;
Amendment 154 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Welcomes the Commission’s intention to support the implementation of the rules on misleading information as regards the sustainability of food products and to develop an EU sustainable food labelling framework;
Amendment 157 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5c. Stresses that information on the sustainability of food products must be science-based, transparent and supported by rigorous independent verification; requests that the Commission consider environmental statements that meet robust, internationally recognised criteria, such as ISO 14024, and that are based on a full life cycle assessment rather than focusing on a single part of sustainability;
Amendment 160 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses the need to continue to promote the responsible exploitation of fisheries resources an; stresses, in this regard, that EU fisheries have already made significant efforts to meet the objectives for sustainable exploitation of stocks by significantly reducing the fleet and fishing days, despite the significant sacrifices involved, in order to ensure that their fishing activity is sustainable both in terms of catches and in terms of the environmental impact on the marine ecosystem; stresses that any further restrictive measures could seriously jeopardise the survival of the sector and, in particular, the survival of small-scale traditional fishing; calls, therefore, for any further action to be accompanied by a thorough and comprehensive analysis of the socio-economic impact on the sector and on coastal communities; stresses the need to combat IUU fishing by strengthening the policy of sustainable fisheries agreements with non- EU countries for European vessels providing quality products;
Amendment 164 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Stresses that, in order to ensure the safety of imports of fishery products and protect consumers, trade agreements concluded with third countries should include chapters on sustainable fishing that are in line with the EU’s sustainable development policies, the common fisheries policy and the provisions of the IUU Regulation; stresses that the EU should continuously monitor the efforts to combat IUU fishing put in place by third countries that have been granted preferential tariffs for fishery and aquaculture products; stresses that it is essential for the EU to make full use of the instruments at its disposal in accordance with the IUU Regulation, including the ‘red card’, if a country that has been granted preferential tariffs fails to comply with the EU requirements in terms of labour rights and sustainable fisheries;
Amendment 166 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Whereas European Union fisheries, aquaculture and processing sectors already apply high environmental and social standards and since these standards will be revised in order to provide higher quality fishery products, it is of the utmost importance to apply the reciprocity principle for fishery products entering the European Union market from the third countries and to ban the products resulting from IUU fishing;
Amendment 175 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Underlines the importance of EMFAF in sustaining and modernising the sector, favouring generational renewal, and promoting the active participation of women, associations, including guilds (‘cofradías’), producer organisations and the retail sector; welcomes the Commission’s intention to invest in research, innovation and technology, and stresses that the new EMFAF should also be used to support research and innovation programmes and projects aimed at reducing food waste and to promote a sustainable food system; stresses, moreover, the need to integrate the current European research and innovation programmes with the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity 2030 Strategies and with the new EMFAF, in order to maximise potential synergies between different sectors;
Amendment 177 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Underlines the importance of EMFAF in sustaining and modernising the sector, favouring generational renewal, and promoting the active participation of women, associations, including guilds (‘cofradías’), producer organisations and the retail sector; calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote and create incentives for the digital transformation of the sector in all links of the value chain for fisheries and aquaculture products;
Amendment 183 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Reiterates the need for all food products marketed in the EU to comply with the same level of stringency in relation to environmental and social sustainability requirements; urges the Commission and the Member States to require that all EU trade agreements include conditionality for sustainable production standards, particularly from the point of view of traceability of fishery products and standards relating to animal welfare, social requirements and environmental sustainability;
Amendment 193 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. RWelcomes the Commission’s intention to give consumers the necessary tools to make informed, healthy and sustainable food choices; recommends that appropriately funded, far-reaching and effective dedicated awareness campaigns aimed at consumers be launched in order to bolster fish consumption, highlight the properties and benefits of fish products, and help consumers to choose wisely when buying fresh fish products; stresses, moreover, that these campaigns should be promoted by working closely with trade associations and specific professional bodies, such as nutritionists, doctors and paediatricians, in order to take targeted and effective action to help European consumers.
Amendment 194 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Recommends that appropriately funded dedicated campaigns aimed at consumers be launched to bolster fish consumption; calls on the Commission and the Member States to implement initiatives to reduce food waste and rubbish coming from EU fish and seafood markets.
Amendment 203 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Requests that the Commission develop guidelines on digital tools for consumer information, on information transmitted through all links in the value chain, including existing platforms, with the aim of promoting interoperability and improving the efficiency of existing systems.
Amendment 204 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Emphasises the need to include small scale fisheries in local food chains in order to strengthen their position in the food chain in such a way to ensure them a fair income; stress the need to bring them together in associations, cooperatives, producers organisation to have a better negotiating position in relation with the markets suppliers.
Amendment 207 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8b. Emphasises the need for a harmonised EU legal framework to develop a mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labelling system at EU level, based on independent scientific evidence; urges the Member States to support the implementation of the future EU nutritional profiling system and to refrain from unilateral actions that could hinder harmonisation of the European Commission’s efforts; calls on the Commission to consider the need to include changes in the algorithm for creating these nutritional profiles so that the presence of omega-3 is positively taken into account and the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fats is considered when attributing penalty points.
Amendment 210 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8b. Welcomes the European Commission’s commitment to combating food waste as a pillar of a genuinely sustainable food system; highlights that the fisheries and aquaculture sector should be fully involved in the implementation of this objective.
Amendment 213 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 c (new)
Paragraph 8 c (new)
8c. Stresses that, in order to fully adhere to the European circular economy and food waste reduction objectives, virtuous behaviour such as reusing fishery products that have been caught and that fall below the minimum conservation reference size for which there is a ban on discards, should also be promoted and encouraged in fisheries.
Amendment 216 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 d (new)
Paragraph 8 d (new)
8d. Stresses that in the aquaculture sector it has long been common practice to reuse unused (or usable) animal products for human consumption; points out that, in the interests of a circular economy, considerable investment is needed to create synergies between aquaculture and food waste, and to support virtuous processes in the interests of a circular economy in order to reuse aquaculture waste (such as algae) for feeding fish.
Amendment 216 #
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 human and animal health and restores ecosystem health; 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 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, working conditions, food and economic sustainability for farmers;
Amendment 241 #
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; 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 transformadapt 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 323 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. considering that the EU is the only agricultural actor worldwide, that has significantly reduced greenhouse gas and nitrate emissions coming from agriculture, as well as the use of antibiotics in livestock; and that the new commitments expected from the sector to adapt to the requirements of the European Green Deal should take into account the achievements of EU agriculture in recent decades;
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 378 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas it is important that consumers are trained, informed and enabled to take responsibility for the consequences of their choice of food stuffs, including the price, on the whole food system, from production to processing and distribution; whereas this requires a healthy and sound food environment which ensures that the healthy and sustainable choice is also the easy and affordable choice, and fosters and encourages consumption patterns, available for all consumers, that support human health while ensuring the sustainable use of natural and human resources and animal welfare;
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 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 531 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Stresses that the contribution to climate change mitigation and the viability of the European model of agriculture, as well as the resilient supply of sustainable and safe food, are not mutually exclusive objectives and can be achieved with a balanced and evidence- based approach;
Amendment 543 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Welcomes the Commission's proposal to develop a contingency plan for ensuring food supply and food security in order to coordinate a common European response to crises affecting food systems ; insists that a prevention approach is needed to avoid panic movements and overreactions by people, firms or Member States; considers that it will be an adequate response to the growing expectations about food security that are to be addressed at European level; urges the Commission to consider strategic food stock issues in the way that it does for strategic petroleum stocks across European Union;
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 574 #
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 that should be based on transparent data and take into account the latest scientific knowledge; invites the Commission to use this proposal to set out a holistic common food policy in which all actors make their contribution, 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 and competitive agricultural sector while ensuring consistency between policdifferent EU policies and strategies 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 that respond to rational criteria based on the best scientific knowledge; 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;
Amendment 634 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Stresses that the Commission should, for the remaining legislative proposals announced in the strategy, rely on scientifically sound ex-ante impact assessments describing the calculation methods for each target and the baselines and reference periods for each of them, taking into account the cumulative effects of the legislative proposals and the need to adapt them to the reality of each Member State;
Amendment 666 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Recalls that the social dimension must be fully integrated in all future initiatives of the farm to fork strategy along with the economic and environmental dimensions to achieve a much-needed policy coherence for sustainable development; insists that improvement of working conditions, in line with the 8 ILO core Convention, collective bargaining, social protection, investment in public services, inclusive governance and fair taxation should be included as sustainability criteria;
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 689 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 2
Subheading 2
Building the food chain that works for consumers, workers, producers, climate and the environment
Amendment 730 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
Amendment 752 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the decision to revise the directive on the sustainable use of pesticides and the collective reduction targets for pesticides, fertilisers, and antibiotics; emphasises the importance of collectively pursuing these targets through holistic and circular approaches, such as agroecological practices; insists that each Member State should establish robust quantitative reduction targets, accompanied by well- defined support measures ensuring accountability at all levels to help reach these targets; reiterates its call for the translation into legislation of the above targets and objectives and calls on the Commission to clarify how it will deal with individual Member States’ contributions to Union-wide targets, taking into account different realities and characteristics of each Member State in terms of pesticides, fertilisers and other chemical use, and to clarify the baselines for these targets;
Amendment 803 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Considers that the reduction targets for phytosanitary products that will finally be established should be accompanied by sustainable alternatives available on the market with equivalent effectiveness in the protection of plant health, in order to avoid the lack of necessary treatments for crops in the EU and the proliferation of organisms harmful to plants;
Amendment 834 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Recalls that simply reducing the volume of phytosanitary products will not automatically reduce the resulting environmental impact; notes that tools and technologies already exist and are under development to reduce their impact on the environment or on human health and asks the European Commission to take them into account when revising the Directive;
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 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 938 #
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 andefforts made by European agriculture to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the need to make further progress in reducing them and in reducing the impact of agricultural activity on 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 targets based on scientific knowledge to ensure progressive reductions in all GHG emissions in these sectors;
Amendment 963 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Takes note of the opportunities of manure management in promoting organic fertilisers, improving soil carbon content and, thus, contributing to carbon sequestration; further encourages EU waste legislation to look at agricultural residues as possible sources of fertilisers, bedding material and bioenergy;
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 1124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls on the European Commission to promote EU-wide specialised training programmes, in order to make farmers aware of the benefits and the practice of integrating woody vegetation with agriculture at local, regional and global scales; stresses the importance of using agro-forestry and forests curtains to increase productivity and alternatives to the use of fertilisers in agricultural production;
Amendment 1190 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Welcomes the acknowledgment of the crucial role played by seed diversity in ensuring the sustainability and resilience of food production; calls for a meaningful reform of the seeds marketing legal framework that would enable a wide range of crop diversity in the EU and ensure that different types of diversity have facilitated access to the market;
Amendment 1201 #
7b. Regrets the lack of a European policy on both animal and plant genetic resources, vital to ensure seed security;
Amendment 1247 #
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, such models should support farmers in the transition towards climate neutrality;
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 1282 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Underlines the necessity to diversify the organic production, based on the market demand, to make sure the prices will not lower under the production costs and to create and adapt the market for their products in order to protect our farmers from bankruptcy;
Amendment 1286 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
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 1398 #
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; calls for a better management of the veterinary prevention and promotion of high standards of animal health and animal welfare also with trading partners in order to prevent spread of zoonotic diseases and to promote the high levels of bBiodiversity, environmental degradation and our current food production systemssecurity developed in EU as the best practice at global level;
Amendment 1407 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Acknowledges the importance of plant health for sustainable food production systems, and points to the need of raising public awareness and providing adequate training emphasising preventive approaches to dealing with pests and diseases;
Amendment 1457 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Urges the Commission to propose mechanisms that support cooperation between the various links in the chain, for example, by prioritizing stable market- oriented trade relations; considers that collaboration between the different segments of the food chain will be essential in the future, as it has been during the worst months of the covid-19 crisis;
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 1490 #
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 and in combating dual standards in agri-food practices; _________________ 22 OJ L 111, 25.4.2019, p. 59.
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 1519 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Recognises that retailers and wholesalers can help move sustainable products away from market niches and into mainstream markets; highlights their growing commitment to create transparency, promote healthy diets through consumer information, reformulation, promotion of organic products and treatment of food waste, which they offer in response to the already strong demand from its customers;
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 1650 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls for measures toat European level to encourage product reformulation of products not covered by EU quality schemes and 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 and 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 and urges Member States to support the implementation of the upcoming EU system and refrain from unilateral actions that could hinder the harmonization work of the European Commission;
Amendment 1703 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Calls on the European Commission to consider digital consumer information as a key element in making information on healthy and sustainable diets available to consumers in the EU;
Amendment 1710 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16b. Calls on the Commission to strengthen the EU single market and provide clarity and simplicity for all players in the food sector, offering a more harmonised and science-based approach, which is currently lacking, in areas such as front-of-pack labelling, origin labelling, waste management, food donations, to name but a few, so that Europe can uphold sustainability standards in the food chain at the international level;
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 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 2035 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Reiterates its call to take the measures required to achieve a Union food waste reduction target of 30 % by 2025 and 50 % by 2030 compared to the 2014 baseline; underlines that binding targets and common criteria for measuring food waste in the different links of the food chain are needed to achieve this;
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 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 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 2147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Notes that in order to achieve the goals set out in this strategy, we must take advantage of scientific and technological progress, highlighting recent advances in both the versatility, safety and sustainability of new technologies for genetic improvement, promoting a legislative process in the EU that provides the necessary certainty for the development of this innovative sector, at the service of a more sustainable and healthy European food system;
Amendment 2176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)
Paragraph 25 b (new)
25b. Recalls that the transition to this system will require significant investments and it cannot be accomplished without the complicity and support of European farmers;
Amendment 2179 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 c (new)
Paragraph 25 c (new)
25c. Considers the allocated budget to achieve the ambitions of the EU Green Deal and the Just transition mechanism to be insufficient to deal in a socially sustainable manner with the consequences of the expected transformation; calls for the Just transition mechanism to cover as well agricultural regions that may be adversely affected and underlines the need to ensure the proper involvement of social partners in the definition and implementation of future initiatives of the strategy;
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 2269 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Calls on the Commission to unblock the trade agreement for agri-food products with the United States of America considering that the American market is the biggest organic market in the world;
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;