Food sustainability

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Food is at the centre of our lives and an integral part of the European culture. However, the food we eat, the ways we produce it and the amounts wasted have major impacts on human health, natural resources and society as a whole:

  • Citizens –and children in particular– are increasingly suffering from overweight and obesity due to unhealthy diets.
  • Farmers and workers do not get a fair price for their produce.
  • One third of food is lost or wasted across the food chain.
  • The environment is paying the bill with the dramatic effects of food production and consumption on climate change, loss of biodiversity, air and water pollution, soil degradation, etc.

The COVID-19 crisis is a wake-up call for change. It has demonstrated that getting food "from farm to fork" cannot be taken for granted and has shown the interconnectedness of actors and activities throughout the food system. Fair, resource efficient, inclusive and sustainable supply chains in the whole agriculture and food sector are needed more than ever to deliver equally for citizens, farmers, workers and business.

The EESC has been for years at the forefront of calling for a sustainable and comprehensive food policy. Such an integrated and systemic approach is essential to tackle the multiple and interconnected challenges affecting food systems; to deliver economic, environmental and socio-cultural sustainability; to ensure integration and coherence across policy areas (such as agriculture, environment, health, education, trade, economy, technology, etc.); and to promote cooperation across levels of governance

  • Ongoing (updated on 26/03/2024) - Bureau decision date: 12/12/2023
    Reference
    NAT/924-EESC
    Civil Society Organisations - GR III
    Bulgaria
    Plenary session number
    589
    -
  • Adopted on 17/01/2024 - Bureau decision date: 13/07/2023
    Reference
    NAT/913-EESC-2023
    Civil Society Organisations - GR III
    Bulgaria
    Plenary session number
    584
    -

    EESC exploratory opinion NAT/913 - Towards the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2027: for an agricultural sector that meets economic, social and environmental needs

    EESC opinion: Promoting autonomous and sustainable food production: strategies for the Common Agricultural Policy post-2027
  • Adopted on 25/10/2023 - Bureau decision date: 25/04/2023
    Reference
    NAT/908-EESC-2023
    Civil Society Organisations - GR III
    France
    Plenary session number
    582
    -

    EESC opinion NAT/908 - Plants produced by new genomic techniques.

    EESC opinion: Plants produced by new genomic techniques
  • Adopted on 21/09/2023 - Bureau decision date: 25/10/2022
    Reference
    NAT/884-EESC-2023
    Civil Society Organisations - GR III
    Estonia
    Plenary session number
    581
    -

    EESC opinion on Revision of EU marketing standards for agricultural products.

    EESC opinion: Revision of EU marketing standards for agricultural products
  • Adopted on 13/07/2023 - Bureau decision date: 25/01/2023
    Reference
    NAT/891-EESC-2023
    Employers - GR I
    Spain
    Civil Society Organisations - GR III
    Ireland
    Plenary session number
    580
    -
    EESC opinion: Sustainable water management and climate emergency: circular and other solutions for the EU agri-food system in a future "Blue Deal"
  • Adopted on 13/07/2023 - Bureau decision date: 13/12/2022
    Reference
    NAT/890-EESC-2023-01-01
    Employers - GR I
    Spain
    Workers - GR II
    Spain
    Plenary session number
    580
    -

    This exploratory opinion will be an opportunity to follow up on the EESC work on sustainable food systems, address the causes of obesity as the social determinant of health and provide recommendations for promoting healthier and sustainable diets, healthy lifestyle habits and protection of vulnerable children to feed into the work of the Spanish presidency.

    EESC opinion: Measures to reduce child obesity
  • Adopted on 12/07/2023 - Bureau decision date: 19/10/2021
    Reference
    NAT/849-EESC-2023
    Civil Society Organisations - GR III
    Spain
    Plenary session number
    580
    -

    EESC opinion: Action plan to conserve fisheries resources and protect marine ecosystems

    EESC opinion: Action plan to conserve fisheries resources and protect marine ecosystems
  • Adopted on 14/06/2023 - Bureau decision date: 25/01/2023
    Reference
    NAT/892-EESC-2023
    Workers - GR II
    Hungary
    Plenary session number
    579
    -
    EESC opinion: Towards a European Food Policy Council as a new governance model in the future EU Framework on Sustainable Food Systems
  • Adopted on 22/03/2023 - Bureau decision date: 25/10/2022
    Reference
    NAT/888-EESC-2022-01-01
    Employers - GR I
    France
    Plenary session number
    577
    -
    EESC opinion: EU strategy on fertilisers
  • Adopted on 14/12/2022 - Bureau decision date: 14/07/2022
    Reference
    NAT/873-EESC-2022
    Workers - GR II
    Germany
    Plenary session number
    574
    -

    Considering the extent of the food security crisis and the urgency to address the issue of excessive commodity speculation, the aim of this own-initiative opinion is to analyse the current situation in more detail; gather experts' views on the impacts of commodity speculation on food price increases and food security worldwide; and provide civil society's recommendations on policy measures that are needed to address excessive price speculation and increase market transparency.

    EESC opinion: Food price crisis: the role of speculation and concrete proposals for action in the aftermath of the Ukraine war