FOOD SAFETY IN THE FUTURE EU BUDGET (2021-2027)

The proposed new Single Market Programme food policy will tackle human, animal and plant protection

Time for budgeting at the European Commission: the incumbency of the 2020 term urges the approval of a new long term budget for the 2021-2027 period!

The document, unveiled in June, presents ambitious proposals such as the establishment of a new Single Market Programme with a total allocation of 1.68 billion € on food policies, and will be discussed by the European Council and the Parliament in the next months.

The measures included in the programme focus on human, animal and plant protection.
Nonetheless, food measures are also included in funding programmes specifically dedicated to innovation, research and digital policies such as Horizon Europe, Digital Europe and the European Social Funds Plus, stressing the tight relationship between food and health and the need to implement new technologies to address food/water scarcity and the soaring issue of antimicrobial resistance (i.e. the ability of a microorganism to resist adverse treatments). The Single Market Programme objectives in the area of food will include the prevention and eradication of pests and diseases, plus specific support for sustainable food production and consumption. Official controls over the food chain will be improved in terms of effectiveness, efficiency and reliability, and policies to increase animal welfare will be put in place, responding to the growing awareness about bad living conditions of animals. Actions will be eligible for funding in the priority areas of veterinary and phytosanitary emergency measures, activities to prevent food waste, combat food fraud and support sustainable food production and consumption.

The proposal shall now be discussed by the European Parliament, and will subsequently pass to the European Council. The final agreement is to be reached before the Council meeting of Sibiu (Romaina), set to be held on 9 May 2019.