Europeiska ekonomiska och sociala kommittén
Livsmedel står i centrum för våra liv och är en integrerad del av den europeiska kulturen. De livsmedel som vi äter, hur vi producerar dem och de mängder som går till spillo har dock stor inverkan på människors hälsa, naturresurserna och samhället som helhet:
Covid-19-krisen utgör en väckarklocka för förändring. Krisen har visat att vi inte kan ta livsmedelsförsörjningen ”från jord till bord” för givet och att aktörer och verksamheter är sammanlänkade genom hela livsmedelssystemet. Rättvisa, resurseffektiva, inkluderande och hållbara leveranskedjor inom hela jordbruks- och livsmedelssektorn behövs mer än någonsin för att såväl medborgarnas, jordbrukarnas och arbetstagarnas som företagens behov ska kunna tillgodoses.
EESK har i flera år gått i bräschen för att efterlysa en hållbar och heltäckande livsmedelspolitik. En sådan integrerad och systeminriktad strategi är avgörande för att man ska kunna ta itu med de många och sammanlänkade utmaningar som påverkar livsmedelssystemen, skapa ekonomisk, miljömässig och sociokulturell hållbarhet, säkerställa integration och samstämmighet mellan olika politikområden (jordbruk, miljö, hälsa, utbildning, handel, ekonomi, teknik osv.) samt främja samarbete mellan olika styresnivåer.
EESC puts forward proposal to increase their contributions. The bioeconomy is a crucial factor in fighting climate change, responding to the growing food demand and boosting rural areas. In its opinion on the Updating of the Bioeconomy Strategy, adopted at its plenary session of 15 May, the EESC calls for better support for SMEs in the form of advice and access to finance
Food is at the centre of our lives and an integral part of the European culture. Food also plays a crucial role in our economy: it is the Union’s biggest manufacturing sector in terms of employment and contribution to GDP. Also, the food we eat, the ways we produce it and the amounts wasted have major impacts on human health, on natural resources and on society as a whole.
Today, as a true pan-European collaborative venture, the European Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), COPA-COGECA and IFOAM Organics Europe are together launching the first ever EU organic awards. These awards will recognise excellence along the organic value chain, rewarding the best and most innovative actors in organic production in the EU. Applications will be open from 25 March until 8 June 2022.
With Europe slowly getting back on track after the COVID-19 crisis, it is high time to move from words to action and implement the Farm to Fork strategy. The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) strongly advocates supporting the transformation of Europe's food systems so that they are more environmentally, economically and socially sustainable, and notes that consumers have a key role to play in this context.
Following the success of the previous Youth Climate and Sustainability Round Tables, the EESC, in cooperation with the European Youth Forum and Generation Climate Europe, will host the third EU Youth Round Table on Wednesday 30 November, between 14:30 and 16:00 CET.
This thematic debate aims to discuss the impacts of the war on food security worldwide, with a focus on some specific world regions; further actions that will be needed to ensure food security while fostering resilient and sustainable food systems and the role civil society can play in ensuring food security both in Europe and beyond.
The aim of the conference is to look at how the European Union can be more active in this area, especially through better cooperation among the key stakeholders. The conference will take place in a hybrid format.
The event will take place both in Brussels and in Ljubljana in hybrid form. Registration for external participants will be open on this page until 25 November 2021.
The webinar will take place in the context of the EESC Thematic Study Group on Sustainable Food Systems, in cooperation with the EESC INT Section and will explore amongst other questions, how to better align food industry with the SDGs and stimulate sustainable food production, processing, and distribution across the chain.
This online public hearing will discuss how to transform the targets proposed in the Action Plan for the development of EU organic production into on-the-ground strategies related to organic production and consumption.
