Recent events caused by COVID-19, extreme weather due to climate disruption, cyber-attacks and Brexit demonstrate the need to rethink priorities and improve the resilience and sustainability of EU food systems by reinforcing its autonomy. Food security is not a given for many EU citizens.

In the EESC's view, it is critical to develop a toolbox that includes risk management measures to help food supply chains deal with extreme situations, allowing authorities, farmers and industry to take immediate action.

The EESC, in its own-initiative opinion on Strategic Autonomy and Food Security and Sustainability, proposes a definition of open strategic autonomy applied to food systems based on food production, workforce and fair trade, with the overarching aim of ensuring food security and sustainability for all EU citizens through a fair, healthy, sustainable and resilient food supply chain.

"Farms and fertile agricultural land and water are strategic assets and must be protected across the EU: they constitute the backbone of our open strategic food autonomy", stressed the EESC rapporteur for this opinion, Klaas Johan Osinga. (mr)