Evropski ekonomsko-socialni odbor
Hrana je v središču našega življenja in sestavni del evropske kulture. Vendar pa hrana, ki jo uživamo, načini njene proizvodnje in količine, ki jih zavržemo, močno vplivajo na zdravje ljudi, naravne vire in družbo kot celoto:
Kriza, povezana s pandemijo COVID-19, je jasen znak, da so potrebne spremembe. Med krizo je postalo očitno, da prenos hrane od vil do vilic ne sme veljati za samoumevnega, pokazala pa se je tudi medsebojna povezanost akterjev in dejavnosti v celotnem prehranskem sistemu. Pravične, vključujoče in trajnostne verige preskrbe s hrano, ki učinkovito izkoriščajo vire, v celotnem kmetijskem in živilskem sektorju so potrebne bolj kot kadar koli prej, da bi enako koristile državljanom, kmetom, delavcem in poslovanju.
EESO je že več let med glavnimi zagovorniki trajnostne in celovite prehranske politike v EU. Tak povezan in sistemski pristop je bistven za reševanje številnih in medsebojno povezanih izzivov, ki vplivajo na prehranske sisteme, omogočanje gospodarske, okoljske in družbeno-kulturne trajnosti, zagotavljanje povezovanja in skladnosti med področji politik (kot so kmetijstvo, okolje, zdravje, izobraževanje, trgovina, gospodarstvo, tehnologija itd.) ter spodbujanje sodelovanja na vseh ravneh upravljanja.
The upcoming Slovenian Presidency of the EU has requested the Committee to draw up an exploratory opinion on the effective achievement of the Directive’s objectives in practice, on Member States’ best practices in regulating the agri-food chain, as well as on the steps needed so that this process does not come to a halt.
The SUD can play a central role in the European Green Deal framework, being crucial to the Commission's Farm-to-Fork strategy for shifting to a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system, and complementary to both the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the Zero Pollution Strategy.
The own-initiative opinion aims to analyse the link between current food systems and diet-related diseases; identify policies, tools and instruments that are needed to foster healthier diets both on the supply and demand side.
The Commission is proposing a targeted revision of the General Food Law Regulation coupled with the revision of eight pieces of sectoral legislation, to bring them in line with the general rules and strengthen transparency in the area of GMOs, feed additives, smoke flavourings, food contact materials, food additives, food enzymes and flavourings, plant protection products and novel foods.
The Commission's initiative follows one of the recommendations of the Agricultural Markets Task Force that the EU should legislate in the areas of UTPs for agricultural products, and responds to some of the conclusions of the 2016 EESC opinion on "A fairer food supply chain".
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - The Future of Food and Farming