September 13, 2023. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered the #SOTEU (State of the European Union) address at the European Parliament. This is a key speech showing the directions and priorities of the European Commission for the next few months. Unfortunately, in the speech we did not hear about the transformation of the food system, legislation for a sustainable food system (Sustainable Food System Law), or legislation for the welfare of farmed animals.

In addition to a very laconic sentence about building a dialogue with farmers and food producers, a dialogue for the future of food and food security, the EC Chair left out the topics of #brokenfoodsystem and the promised transformation in the spirit of climate policy.

Draft legislation for a sustainable food system, which Future Food 4 Climate has been demanding for months, was to be presented in September. By the end of 2023, a revision of legislation for the welfare of farmed animals was to be presented. We are still waiting for a revision of the agri-food promotion policy (#StopEUMeatAds campaign).

Is this the end of the Commission’s green promises and a change of course to political pragmatism for the industrial lobby of the livestock sector? The FF4C coalition will intensify advocacy efforts in this area in the near future.

Credit: European Parliament