Yesterday evening Freshfel Europe called for a fresh fruit and vegetables-in-all-policies approach in its presentation of its 2019-2024 priorities paper for the EU institutions ‘Fresh Fruit & Vegetables for Europe’s Future’ in the European Parliament. Freshfel Europe asked policy makers to help stimulate a higher level of fresh fruit and vegetable consumption as part of an integral shift to a low environmental impact plant-based diet to protect the planet and citizens’ health. Freshfel Europe indicated that this could only be achieved through increased support for the sector in the policy-making agenda over the next five years across Europe and at all levels of government in conjunction with sector initiatives.
During the evening reception Freshfel Europe General Delegate Philippe Binard presented Freshfel Europe’s latest paper ‘Fresh Fruit & Vegetables for Europe’s Future: Freshfel Europe’s Priorities for the EU Institutions 2019-2024’ to Members of the European Parliament working on agricultural, environmental and trade issues and high-level European Commission officials. Mr Binard explained that “By helping better position the fresh fruit and vegetable sector policy makers will achieve forward-thinking coherent policy that will future-proof our planet and meet consumers’ expectations now and into 2030”. In his presentation Mr Binard also underlined that, “Fresh fruit and vegetables play a key role in Europe’s ambitions to protect the planet, provide healthy prosperous lifestyles to all and meet the Sustainable Development Goals. The beginning of this path is an ambitious and effective European Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategy that incorporates a fresh fruit and vegetables-in-all-policies approach”.
MEP
Herbert Dorfmann opened the cocktail reception in the European Parliament
welcoming guests and describing the importance of sustainable production in a
modern world with a fast changing climate. Freshfel Europe President Stephan
Weist also addressed participants asserting that actors across the EU fresh
fruit and vegetable supply chain will continue to collaborate to ensure that
Europe reaches the WHO recommended consumption intake of 400g of fruit and
vegetables per capita per day. Mr Weist pointed out that, “21 Member States are
currently not reaching this with the average consumption at 348g per capita per
day. The fresh fruit and vegetable sector must be prioritized in the
policy-making agenda so that these nutritious products remain an essential part
of European consumers’ sustainable diet”.
Freshfel
Europe’s ‘Fresh Fruit & Vegetables for Europe’s Future’ paper outlines the
role of the sector in significantly contributing to a low-environmental impact
future for Europe and the good health of European consumers. The paper details
specific policy areas to tackle over the next five years, covering the CAP,
intra-EU and global trade, the supply chain, circular economy, plant health,
food safety, digitalization and health policy, to ensure that Europe is a
global leader achieving a triple-win for the environment, the economy and
consumer health. Freshfel Europe’s full paper ‘Fresh Fruit & Vegetables for
Europe’s Future’ can be downloaded from the Freshfel Europe website here.
