During her intervention in front of the plenary session of the European Parliament, Health Commissioner Kyriakides stated that the Commission has not yet taken a decision on front-of-packaging labelling, refusing rumours that the Nutri-Score is the favoured option. Member Stated have decided to ban, starting in 2022, food additive E171 after consistent studies have underlined its dangers to human health. 

In the Baltic countries, after lab-grown meat, start-ups are exploring the possibilities to create cell-based seafood. 

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October marked the adoption of the Farm to Fork strategy as a shared European strategy, and not only a European Commission’s initiative. In fact, the vote of the European Parliament on the texted agreed by the joint ComEnvi & ComAgri Committees confirmed most of the Commission’s vision of the future of European agriculture and the targets set by 2030.  

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The month of October 2021 was characterized by an increase in raw material costs for winemakers worldwide. However, the wine industry seems to be able to pass on these additional costs to consumers since the economic recovery following COVID fuels demand. Higher prices are also justified by lower volume supplied worldwide and especially in France due to poor climate conditions. Finally, taxes and tariff remain an issue as countries like Britain and China are leveraging their trade policies. 

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September 17-18th marked the Agricultural G20 held in Florence, Italy, after which agriculture ministers signed a declaration of intentions named “Charter of Florence”: with commitments in turning agriculture more sustainable. 

On the Front-of-Package labelling debate, IARC/WHO – International Agency for Research on Cancer – published a paper in support of the Nutri-Score system, whereas the Czech and Italian ministers accused the same nutritional label to damage traditional culinary products and that it creates judgments, not information, respectively. 

At the same time, the European Commission launched the Healthy Lifestyles 4 all initiative, and advanced the idea of applying the same rules for the labelling of alcoholic beverages that are now applied for ingredients, additives and processing aids. 

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A new study from the Kiel University, Germany, takes a clear cut conclusion on the effect of F2F on the agricultural sector in the UE. And while the US tires to create a coalition that would oppose the agri-food strategy, Vice-President Timmermans called on world leader to be inspired by the same strategy so to follow the EU steps in agriculture. All along, the Parliament AGRI & ENVI Committees voted on the report on F2F, passing the whole of the amendments.  

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In September the European Commission opened for public consultation asking for stakeholders their opinion on the legislative initiative to update the curent legal framework on the matter of New Genomic Techniques, following the study published in April 2021. At the same time, a letter signed by 50+ organisations addressed to the Commission opposed its opening to these technologies, arguing that with this action, the Commission would put into danger the health of humans, animals, and the environment. 

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In September 2021, the EU Parliament has rejected plans to reserve five specific groups of antibiotics for use in humans and largely ban them in animals. Developments concerning the avian flu and African Swine Fever are still closely monitored in the EU.

At national level, a pig backlog and shortage of CO2 and workers are causing a pork crisis in the UK, while The Netherlands have announced radical plans to cut livestock numbers and Ireland is not ruling out a limit on a national livestock herd.

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At EU-level, historically low harvests have been forecasted for France, Italy and Spain following spring frosts, hail, droughts and diseases earlier this year.

At national level, a volcanic eruption on the Canary Islands is threatening wine growers, hail affected Spanish vineyards and wildfires threatened white wine crops in Greece.

In Italy, Agriculture Minister Patuanelli ensures Italy’s strong position in the on-going dispute between Prosecco and the Croatian “Prosek”. 

Meanwhile, Champagne exports to Russia have started again following a name dispute between the Russian “shampanskoye” and the French Champagne protected under EU law.

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