Political resistance against sustainable food policies is threatening to derail the process for an EU Sustainable Food Systems Law. Against this backdrop, Friends of the Earth Europe joins 285 other organisations in issuing an open letter urging European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to ensure the Commission proposal is presented by September 2023, as planned.
Dear President von der Leyen,
Cc: Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans, Commissioners Stella Kyriakides, Janusz Wojciechowski and Virginijus Sinkevi?ius
We, the undersigned organisations, are writing to urge you to ensure that a strong proposal for an EU legislative framework for sustainable food systems is presented by September 2023.
While some stakeholders and policy-makers are instrumentalising the current geopolitical context to weaken the Farm to Fork (F2F) strategy, we would like to reiterate our full support for the publication of this proposal. The new legal framework should set a clear path for the transition to a sustainable EU food system and anchor the objectives of the F2F strategy into law by including all the actors in the food supply chain.
This framework law will represent a key political achievement and an important legacy for your Commission mandate, and it is critical to achieving EU international commitments [Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Agreement on Climate and the recently agreed Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework] and the European Green Deal.
Furthermore, it has the potential to enable all EU citizens to access more equitable, healthy and environmentally friendly food by fostering food environments that nurture people’s health and protect the planet. Making healthy and sustainable food the easiest and most affordable choice is therefore key to the effective implementation of the F2F strategy, as it will help consumers and the food industry support sustainable producers.
Biodiversity loss and climate change are serious threats to food security and require immediate action, as the European Commission emphasises in its analysis “Drivers for food security”. It is evident and scientifically proven that their impacts are already hampering our capacity to produce and access food. Strengthening environmental and social sustainability will increase the resilience and security of our food system to external shocks.
For these reasons, the European Commission must keep environmental and social sustainability at the centre of the policy debate around food, agriculture and fisheries. We acknowledge that this transition will present its own challenges and might create some resistance, but the EU and the rest of the world cannot bear the cost of inaction.
This framework is a unique opportunity to address the shortcomings of our food system that this Commission cannot afford to miss.
Yours sincerely,
“Dobrze” Food Cooperative
A ROCHA – Associação Cristã de Estudo e Defesa do Ambiente
ACU – Associazione Consumatori Utenti
Agroecology In Action (AiA)
AirClim
Altroconsumo
An Claíomh Glas
An Taisce- The National Trust for Ireland
Anima
Animal Law Italia
Animal Protection Denmark
Aosicación Zero Waste Zaragoza
ARC2020
Arche Noah
Asociación Nacional Defensa Animales (ANDA)
Asociación Vida Sana
Assiettes Végétales
Assoc. Risteco La Ville qui Mange
Associação Natureza Portugal
Associação Vegetariana Portuguesa
Associazione Marina Serra ETS
Bat Conservation Ireland
Beras International Foundation
BEUC
Biom Association – BirdLife in Croatia
BirdLife Austria
Birdlife Cyprus
BirdLife Europe and Central Asia
BirdLife Sverige
BirdWatch Ireland
Bodensee-Stiftung (Lake Constance
Foundation)
Boeren & Buren / La Ruche qui dit Oui !
Boerenforum
BOS+
Broederlijk Delen
Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation
Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds – BirdLife Partner in Bulgaria
BUND e.V. (Friends of the Earth Germany)
Campaigns and Activism for Animals in the
Industry (CAAI)
Canopea
Capitals Coalition
CEEweb for Biodiversity
Ceinture Aliment-Terre Liégeoise
Centre for Environmental Living & Training
CERAI – Centro de estudios rurales y de agricultura internacional
Changing Markets Foundation
CLCV
Clickoala.com
ClientEarth
Climate and Health Alliance
Climate Farmers
CNCD-11.11.11
Coalition Contre la Faim
Coalition for Fair Fisheiries Arrangements (CFFA)
Compassion in World Farming Czechia
Compassion in World Farming EU
Compassion in World Farming France
Compassion in World Farming Italy
Compassion in World Farming Poland
Compassion in World Farming Spain
Consumentenbond
CONVIVIAosta
Coordinadora Estatal Stop Ganadería Industrial
Corporate Europe Observatory
Crann – Trees for Ireland
CultureLab Foundation
Cyprus Consumers Association (CCA)
Czech Society for Ornithology
De Landgenoten
Deutsche Gesellschaft für
Ernährungsmedizin
Deutsche Stiftung Meeresschutz
Deutsche Umwelthilfe
Deutscher Naturschutzring e.V.
Deutscher Tierschutzbund e.V.
DIE UMWELTBERATUNG
Dierenbescherming
Dierencoalitie
Distretto di Economia Solidale Altro Tirreno
ETS
Djurens Rätt
DOF BirdLife
EAT Foundation
Ecologistas en Acción
EFFAT – European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions
Ekowyborca
EKPIZO
Entraide et Fraternité
Environmental Pillar
Essere Animali
Euro Coop
Eurocare – European Alcohol Policy Alliance
Eurogroup for Animals
EUROPARC Federation
European Academy of Paediatrics
European Alliance for Plant-based Food (EAPF)
European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL)
European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
European Heart Network
European Institute of Women’s Health
European Lung Foundation
European Public Health Alliance (EPHA)
European Respiratory Society
European Vegetarian Union
European Council for Homeopathy
Fair Trade Advocacy Office
Feasta: the Foundation for the Economics
of Sustainability
Federación de Consumidores y Usuarios
CECU
Federation of German Consumer
Organisations
Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Agricuture/FNSZ
Fédération romande des consommateurs
Federazione Nazionale Pro Natura
Feedback EU
Fern
FIAN International – European Sections
FiBL Austria – Research Institute for Organic Agriculture
Finca El Cabillón
Fondation Brigitte Bardot
Food Transition Coalition/Transitiecoalitie
Voedsel
foodsharing e.V.
foodwatch
Forbrukerrådet
Forest Friends Ireland
Foro de Redes y Entidades de Custodia del
Territorio
FOUR PAWS
France Nature Environnement
Frie Bønder Levende Land
Friends of the Earth Denmark
Friends of the Earth Europe
Fundación Entretantos
Fundación Global Nature
Fundacion Nueva Cultura del Agua
Fundacja Chlorofil
Fundacja Rething
Fundacja Strefa Zieleni
Fundacja Szkatu?ka
Fundacja Zielone Swiat?o
Future Food 4 Climate
GAIA Belgium
Garden of Eden Projects Ireland
Garúa Intervención Educativa
GEOTA
German Alliance on Climate Change and Health (KLUG)
Gewerkschaft Nahrung-Genuss-Gaststätten
Global Action Plan (GAP)
Green REV Institute
Green Transition Denmark
Greenpeace
Gunnela Ståhle
Hedge Laying Association of Ireland
Hellenic Ornithological Society
Hnutí DUHA – Friends of the Earth Czech
Republic
Huerta Clarita
Humánny pokrok o.z
ICLEI – Local Governments for
Sustainability, European Secretariat
IFOAM Organics Europe
IFOAM Organics Mediterranean
(AgriBioMediterraneo)
Iles de Paix
ImPAACte
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
International Diabetes Federation Europe
International University College of Turin
Irish Heart Foiundation
Irish Peatland Conservation Council
Irish Wildlife Trust
ISDE ( International Society of Doctors for Environment)
Italian coalition “#CambiamoAgricoltura”
Jemy z klimatem
Join For Water
KEPKA – Consumers’ Protection Center
Kindernothilfe Österreich
KRAV ekonomisk förening
L214 Ethique & animaux
LAV
Leave No Trace Ireland
Legambiente
Les Amis de la Terre – Belgique
Linked.Farm
Lipu BirdLife Italia
Living Earth Coalition
Magazyn Istota.info
Marttaliitto ry
Mensa Cívica
Mouvement d’Action Paysanne
Mudita
Natagora
National Society of Conservationists – FoE Hungary
Natur an Ëmwelt a.s.b.l.
Natura International Polska
Natuur & Milieu
Natuurpunt
NESEHNUTÍ
OBRAZ – Obránci zví?at
Observatorio de Producción Local y
Consumo Sostenible
Observatorio para una Cultura del Territorio
OceanCare
OCU
Organic Denmark
Organization Earth
Österreichisches Ökologie-Institut
Otwarte Klatki
Oxfam
Palombar – Associação de Conservação da Natureza e do Património Rural
PAN Europe
Physicians Association for Nutrition International
Physicians for the Future (Läkare för framtiden)
PlanteVekst
Plataforma por la Ganadería Extensiva y el Pastoralismo
Polish Agroforestry Association
Polish Chamber of Organic Food
Polish Society for the Protection of Birds,
BirdLife Poland
Polska Dla Zwierz?t
Polski Klub Ekologiczny
ProVeg International
ProVeg Netherlands
Quercus – Associação Nacional
Conservação da Natureza
Querfeld GmbH
Questionmark Foundation
Quinoa asbl
recelio association
Reformaten
RESTLOS GLÜCKLICH e. V.
Rete Semi Rurali ETS
Rikolto in Belgium
Romanian Ornithological Society
RUCH zaNIEdbani
Safe Food Advocacy Europe
Sciaena
SEAE-Sociedad Española de Agricultura
Ecológica y Agroecologia
Seas At Risk
SEO/BirdLife
SEY Animal Welfare Finland
Sharkproject International
Sindikat PPDIV
SIRPLUS
Skute?n? zdravá škola, z.s.
Skuto?ne zdravá škola o.z.
Slovene Consumer Association (ZPS)
Slow Food Deutschland
Slow Food Europe
Slow Food Italy
Slow Food Youth Network
Society for Animals, CZ/Spole?nost pro zví?ata
Society for Territorial and Environmental
Prosperity (STEP)
Sonairte – the National Ecology Centre
SOS Faim
SOS/BirdLife Slovakia
SPECO – Sociedade Portuguesa de
Ecologia
Stockholm Consumer Cooperative Society
Stowarzyszenie Protest Porszewice
Surcos Urbanos
Susmetro
Sustainable Ireland Cooperative
Sustainable Projects Ireland
Sustainable Water Network (SWAN)
Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC)
The International Panel of Experts on
Sustainable Food Systems, IPES-Food
The Organic Centre ireland
The Polish Society for Bird Protection, PTOP
The Swedish Consumers’ Association
Too Good To Go
True Animal Protein Price Coalition (TAPP Coalition)
UFC-Que Choisir
ULB-coopération
Umanotera, Slovenian Foundation for Sustainable Development
Umweltinstitut München
Unión de Huertas Agroecológicas de Madrid
Unión Vegetariana Española
Urgencxi International Network
Varia Posnania Foundation
Vegane Gesellschaft Österreich
Vegetarian Society of Denmark
Viral Vegans
Voedsel Anders
Voedsel Anders Vlaanderen
Voedselteams
Vogelbescherming Nederland
Voice of Irish Concern for the Environment (VOICE)
Welthaus Diözese Graz-Seckau
Werkgroep Natuurlijk Imkeren
Wervel vzw
Wildlife Society “STORK”
WirMarkt eG
World Animal Protection
World Animal Protection NL
World Benchmarking Alliance
WWF
Zielone Wiadomo?ci
