The European Parliament adopted by 447 votes to 142, with 31 abstentions, a resolution on ensuring food security and long-term resilience of the EU agriculture.

Challenges for the EU food sector

The COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine have highlighted structural problems in the European agricultural sector and present significant risks for Member States' agricultural markets. The Council is invited to consider, in the context of the revision of the multiannual financial framework, speeding up the process of flattening CAP aid towards the EU average in order to empower farmers in Member States where this process has not yet been completed to cope with the current challenges.

Members stressed that immediate EU action is needed to protect food security against threats such as climate change and biodiversity loss. The EU needs to strengthen its food security , its strategic autonomy and the resilience of its agricultural sector and its entire supply chain by reducing its dependence on imports from third countries and diversifying the supply of critical imported products such as fertilisers, animal feed and raw materials.

Supply chains must not become a geopolitical tool to destabilise and undermine global food security, in particular in the most disadvantaged and vulnerable countries.

The Commission is called on to present without delay a holistic strategic plan to ensure food security for the EU, which could include the use of strategic food stocks. Members also stressed the need to identify new financial support to ensure European and third country food security.

Sustainable and resilient agriculture

The Commission is called on to:

- take the necessary measures to provide production planning security for farmers , as well as adequate financial resources and guarantees, making it possible to maintain and, if necessary, increase food production, strengthen sustainable farming systems, increase the diversity of EU food crops and increase product quality, while rejecting artificial, industrial imitations;

- ensure that farmland remains available primarily for sustainable the production of food and feed since this land contributes to biodiversity conservation while also contributing to food security and can also help reduce EU energy dependence;

- ensure that the future EU framework law on sustainable food systems promotes social considerations and favourable food environments where healthy and sustainable food options are the most available, affordable, advertised and attractive, and that it promotes short supply chains and the consumption of local and seasonal products.

European Green deal

Members believe that the European Green Deal could be a milestone in the EU's transition to a more sustainable economy and agriculture. However, they pointed out that some of the proposed measures could have unintended effects, which have not yet been properly assessed and identified at farm level. They therefore called on the Commission to carry out a full assessment of the cumulative impact of the Green Deal's legislative proposals on the EU agricultural sector , in a comprehensive and systematic way that covers all dimensions of sustainability.

Artificial intelligence and precision farming

Parliament called on the Commission to step up the use of sustainable digital innovation to modernise EU agriculture. It stressed that these new technologies can also offer European farmers alternative solutions to help them meet new requirements, particularly in terms of reducing pesticides and input reduction.

Combating food loss and waste

Around one third of all food produced worldwide is lost or wasted at some stage in the food supply chain from farm to fork. The Commission is invited to support campaigns to raise awareness among producers, consumers and retailers of the importance of avoiding all types of food waste and of the economic, social and environmental repercussions of waste.

International dimension

Parliament stressed the urgent need to bring EU trade policy into line with European sustainable food standards so as not to hamper the EU's competitiveness. It called for food and agricultural products to be the subject of a specific chapter in bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations and agreements.

Other recommendations

Members called for an ambitious and comprehensive European strategy on generational renewal in the agricultural sector. They called on the Commission to present a comprehensive EU protein and feed strategy and to define a long-term vision for achieving strategic autonomy in fertilisers , in order to encourage the industry to switch to more sustainable production methods. They condemned the EU's double standards on pesticides, which allow the export from the EU of dangerous substances that are themselves banned in the EU. They called on the Commission to guarantee reciprocity in international trade agreements, particularly with regard to agriculture and agricultural products.

The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development adopted the own-initiative report by Marlene MORTLER (EPP, DE) on ensuring food security and long-term resilience of EU agriculture.

Challenges to the EU food sector

The COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of the crisis caused by the Russian aggression against Ukraine have put food security and the resilience of the global food system at the centre of the political agenda. They have exposed structural problems in the European agricultural sector and pose significant risks to Member States’ agricultural markets, especially those geographically closest to the war. European food production must therefore be considered a strategic sector and be placed on an equal footing with energy security, defence and the fight against climate change at the EU and international levels.

The common agricultural policy (CAP) has made a positive contribution to strengthening the CAP’s role in European agriculture in the 60 years it has been in place and should continue to do so in future with budgetary support that is sufficient and extensive enough to guarantee food security and supply in Europe.

Members highlighted the need for the EU to strengthen its food security, strategic autonomy and the resilience of its farming sector and entire supply chain by reducing dependence on imports from outside the EU and by diversifying supply of critical production imports such as fertiliser, feed and raw materials. Supply chains must not become a geopolitical tool to destabilise and jeopardise food security at global level and short and regional supply chains should be improved in a sustainable manner.

The Commission is called on to present without delay a holistic strategic plan to ensure food security for the EU, which could include the use of strategic food stocks. Members also stressed the need to identify new financial support to ensure European and third country food security.

Sustainable and resilient agriculture

Members stressed that the central importance of the agricultural and food sectors in the economy and in providing decent and sustainable job opportunities with safe working conditions in rural areas.

The Commission is called on to:

- take the necessary measures to provide production planning security for farmers, as well as adequate financial resources and guarantees, making it possible to maintain and, if necessary, increase food production, strengthen sustainable farming systems, increase the diversity of EU food crops and increase product quality, while rejecting artificial, industrial imitations;

- ensure that farmland remains available primarily for sustainable the production of food and feed since this land contributes to biodiversity conservation while also contributing to food security and can also help reduce EU energy dependence;

- take particular account of highly efficient farming models in areas with fertile agricultural land where food is produced sustainably;

- avoid a situation where European farmers face unfair competition from imports that do not meet EU standards.

Generational renewal

Concerned about the decline in numbers of farms and farm managers in combination with the increased average age of European farmers, Members called on the Commission to develop an ambitious, comprehensive EU strategy on generational renewal in the agricultural sector, aiming to increase the number of young farmers, improve their competences and skills, in particular for fully harnessing the opportunities offered by smart farming and artificial intelligence.

New cultivation methods

According to Members, the EU should speed up the adoption of legislation on the use of new breeding techniques in partnership with the Member States, while complying with the precautionary principle in order to sustainably increase yields and make crops more resilient to climate change and new pathogens, particularly in view of harmful organisms, droughts, floods, water shortages and other extreme weather conditions that are afflicting an increasing number of EU Member States.

Pesticides

Members condemned the EU’s double standards on pesticides, which enable the export from the EU of hazardous substances which are themselves banned in the EU. They called on the Commission to ensure reciprocity in international trade agreements, particularly for agriculture and agricultural products.

Food supply chain

The report emphasised that the Commission must take additional measures to develop a more resilient, transparent and fairer food chain, in particular by strengthening the position of primary producers in the whole food supply chain. Member States and the Commission are called on to ensure the effective enforcement of the Unfair Trading Practices Directive and to consider measures to combat food speculation.

Fertiliser strategy

Highlighting that the fertilisers sector is essential to guaranteeing food security globally, the Commission is called on to set out a long-term vision for achieving strategic autonomy in fertilisers in order to incentivise the industry to reorient to more sustainable production methods.