54 Amendments of Maxette PIRBAKAS related to 2020/2260(INI)
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18
Citation 18
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the Commission communication on a Farm to Fork Strategy sets out a holistic approach of the European food system, with agriculture, as a provider of food, fibre and fuel, at the centre, while recognisacknowledging the interconnectedness and interdependence of all actors throughout the whole supply chain;
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas Europe’s food system should deliver food and nutrition security in a way that contributes toand sovereignty, while helping to ensure healthy societies and social well- being, and maintains and restores ecosystem health; whereas currently, the food system is responsible for a range of impacts on human and animal health and on the environment, the climate and biodiversity; whereas the way in which we produce and consume food needs to transform beyond measure in order to ensure coherence with the SDGs, the Paris Agreement, the Convention on Biological Diversity and EU policieEU and Member State policies and commitments, particularly in the areas of sustainability, the environment, climate, public health, animal welfare, food, jobs and economic sustainability for farmers;
Amendment 280 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the European model of a multifunctional agricultural sector, mainly driven by family and small-scale farms, continues to ensure high-quality food production, short and local supply chains, good agriculture practices, high environmental standards and vibrant rural areas throughout the EU, despite an arsenal of restrictive regulations and trade globalisation that affect their competitiveness; whereas the European agricultural model is facing serious difficulties, such as fewer workers, generational and vocational renewal, low incomes and income inequality, extensive regulation and red tape, and international market pressures;
Amendment 376 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas it is important that consumers are informed and enabled to takshare responsibility for the consequences of their choice of food stuffs on the whole food system, from production to processing and distribution; whereas this requires a healthy and sound food environment which ensures that the healthy and sustainable choice is also thea logical, understandable, easy and affordable choice, and fosters and encourages consumption patterns that support human healththe common good, human health and short supply chains, while ensuring the sustainable use of natural and human resources and animal welfare;
Amendment 406 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the European food system has playeds a crucial role during the COVID-19 pandemicin crises, demonstrating, through its resilience withand through its farmers, processors and retailers working together under difficult conditions, including lockdowns, tothat everyone involved has the aim of ensureing that European consumers continue to have access to safe, affordable, and high quality products without impediment and without any supply chain disruptions, even though, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the steps taken by Member State governments have generally benefited the big names in food distribution to the detriment of small retailers;
Amendment 421 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the European food system has played a crucial role during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating its resilience with farmers and fisheries operators, processors and retailers working together under difficult conditions, including lockdowns, to ensure that European consumers continue to have access to safe, affordable, and high quality products without impediment;
Amendment 463 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E b (new)
Recital E b (new)
Eb. whereas the Farm to Fork commitments should protect and make the most of centuries of European food culture, and promote nutritional patterns that are well-established in the traditions and history of the European continent;
Amendment 488 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the farm to fork strategy as an important step in ensuring a sovereign, sustainable, fair and resilient food system, which is central to achievingcalls for a paradigm shift, particularly given the numerous agricultural imports that do not meet the goals set out in the European Green Deal and in the SDGs; emphasises the inextricable links between healthy people, healthy societies, healthy rural life and a healthy planet, encourages the Commission to translate the strategy into concrete legislative and non-legislative action as soon as possible and in consultation with stakeholders;
Amendment 610 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the announcement of an impact-assessed proposal for a legislative framework for sustainable food systems; invites the Commission to use this proposal to set out a holistic common food policfood strategy aimed at reducing the environmental and climate footprint of the EU food system in order to make Europe the first climate- neutral continent by 2050 and strengthen its resilience to ensure food security in the face of climate change and biodiversity loss, leading a global transition towards sustainability from farm to fork, based on the principle of a multifunctional agricultural sector with short supply chains, while ensuring consistency between policies by taking into account the existing legislation in order to enable all actors in the European food system to develop long-term planchange their practices based on realistic and transparent objectives; suggests that not only the specific agricultural and food characteristics but also the respective base lines and progress achieved in each Member State be taken into account, while promoting the exchange of know-how and best practices between Member States; stresses the need to include the entire food and beverage chains including processing, marketing, distribution and retail;
Amendment 638 #
2a. Urges the Commission not to forget the key role that young farmers play, and must continue to play, in accomplishing this much-needed transition to sustainable farming; calls for measures designed to support income, generational renewal and training to create a space enabling the inclusion and retention of young people in agriculture;
Amendment 659 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Recalls the importance of an overall impact assessment to make sure that any additional legislative measures are without prejudice to the EU’s agricultural sectors;
Amendment 772 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the decision to revise the directive on the sustainable use of pesticides and the reduction targets for pesticides, fertilisers, and antibiotics; emphasises the importance of pursuing these targets through holistic and circular approaches, such as agroecological practices, in particular the promotion of natural pesticides; insists that each Member State should establish robust quantitative reduction targets, accompanied by well- defined support measures ensuring accountability at all levels to help reach these targets; reiterates its call for the translatcalls on the Commission into legislation of the above targets and objectives and calls on the Commission to clarify how it will deal with individual Member States’ contributions to Union-wide targets and to clarify the baselines for thesemake appropriate decisions and combat unfair competition where agricultural products imported into the EU do not abide by these new practices and targets;
Amendment 783 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Notes that farmers must have access to a wider range of tools to protect their crops and to decide which measure will offer their crops the best and most long-lasting protection; encourages, therefore, more extensive use of various tools, including low-risk biopesticides, based on the principles of integrated pest management; stresses that consideration must be given to the need to increase the range of pest control options available to organic farming, which meet both organic farming requirements and resource efficiency requirements; calls on the Commission to revise Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 in order to encourage the development, authorisation and placing on the EU market of low-risk biopesticides;
Amendment 861 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 d (new)
Paragraph 3 d (new)
3d. Highlights the need to reassess 12 SDHI active substances (benzovindiflupyr, bixafen, boscalid, carboxin, fluopyram, flutolanil, fluxapyroxad, isofetamid, isopyrazam, penthiopyrad, penflufen, sedaxane) and to review a sufficient number of independent studies on these fungicides, which are currently authorised in the EU and whose active ingredient blocks the respiratory function of living beings; calls for these studies to assess the actual amount of SDHI in the food intake of the average European;
Amendment 939 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises the importance of recognising the significant impact of agriculture and especially animal productionat agriculture is essential for the survival of humanity and that it should be recognised that agriculture profoundly changes the land as the global population increases; stresses that some intensive agricultural practices, designed to support a globalised agri-food model, can have a significant impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and land use; stresses the need to enhance natural carbon sinks and reduce agricultural emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, in particular in the feed and livestock sectors; calls for regulatory measures and targets to ensure progressive reductions in all GHG emissions in these sectors;
Amendment 967 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to use solutions based on the circular economy, particularly biogas such as biomethane, in order to reduce the impact of agriculture and livestock production on air quality;
Amendment 1022 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Points out that extensive and permanent grassland-based or organic animal husbandry is a cultural and identifying feature of the European food system and a defining element of the social glue in many traditional rural communities, and that it has multiple positive effects for the environment and against climate change, and contributes to a circular economy;
Amendment 1050 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to explore local slaughter solutions, with smaller units and better staff training on how to avoid animal suffering, and to make it compulsory to stun animals before they are slaughtered;
Amendment 1099 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the notion of rewarding carbon sequestration in soils; stresses, however, that intensive and industrial agriculture and farming models with negative impacts on biodiversity should not receive climate funding or be incentivised; calls for the proposals to be in line with the environmental objectives and the ‘do no harm’ principle of the Green Deal;
Amendment 1128 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Stresses the need to reconcile the environmental objectives of the Green Deal with the food sovereignty issues and socioeconomic problems of rural areas, and not to import food that has been produced outside the EU under less stringent conditions than those imposed on our farmers;
Amendment 1157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Underlines the importance of seed security and diversity, notably of promoting and creating sanctuaries for indigenous and farmers’ seeds; stresses that EU-grown plant proteins tocan deliver locally sourced food and feed stuffs with high nutritional value while granting farmers access to quality seeds for plant varieties adapted to the pressures of climate change, including traditional and locally-adapted varieties, while ensuring access to innovative plant breeding in order to contribute to healthy seeds and protect plants against harmful pests and diseases; raises awareness of the potential negative effects of concentration and monopolisation in the seed sector; calls on the Commission to create a clear legislative framework so that farmers can use their own harvests for reseeding;
Amendment 1225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls for CAP National Strategic Plans to ensure adequate financial support and incentives to promote new ecological ‘green’ business models for agriculture and artisanal food production, notably through fostering short supply chains and quality food production, and to help guarantee adequate food production in the outermost regions; points out that the CAP’s main aim is to protect and improve European food security, autonomy and sovereignty;
Amendment 1305 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Recalls that the European food system delivers a sufficient and varied supply of safe, nutritious, affordable and sustainable food to people at all times and underlines that increasing the economic, environmental and social sustainability of food producers will ultimately increase their resilience; encourages the Commission to considerand the Member States to consider agricultural land, agricultural know-how, the food supply chain and its workers as a strategic asset for the safety and well-being of all Europeans;
Amendment 1314 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Recalls that the European foodagri-food and fisheries system delivers a sufficient and varied supply of safe, nutritious, affordable and sustainable food to people at all times and underlines that increasing the economic, environmental and social sustainability of food producers will ultimately increase their resilience; encourages the Commission to consider the food supply chain and its workers as a strategic asset for the safety and well-being of all Europeans;
Amendment 1399 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Expresses its deep concern about the emergence of zoonotic diseases that are transferred from animals to humans (anthropozoonoses), such as Q fever, avian influenza and the new strain of influenza A (H1N1), which is exacerbated by faster trade around the world, anthropogenic climate change, the destruction of biodiversity, and environmental degradation and our current food production systems;
Amendment 1406 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Expresses its deep concern about the increasing number of imported diseases and invasive species that are threatening entire sectors of European agriculture, such as Xylella fastidiosa, the coffee berry borer, the Asian hornet, the western conifer seed bug and the brown marmorated stink bug;
Amendment 1421 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls for primary producers to be supported in making the transition to greater sustainability through the encouragement of cooperation and collective actions as well as through competition rules and the enhancement of possibilities for cooperation among the various actors involved in the supply chain within the common market organisations for agricultural, fishery and aquaculture products, and thus for farmers’ and fishers’ position in the supply chain to be strengthened in order to enable them to capture a fair share of the added value of sustainable production; takes the view that supply chain agreements should be implemented and supported to ensure a fair distribution of value to farmers and fishing contractors and to guarantee greater transparency and traceability in the supply chain as a whole;
Amendment 1439 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls for primary producers to be supporon the continent and in the outermost regions to be supported and protected in making the transition to greater sustainability through the encouragement of cooperation and collective actions as well as through competition rules and the enhancement of possibilities for cooperation within the common market organisations for agricultural, fishery and aquaculture products, and thus for farmers’ and fishers’ position in the supply chain to be strengthened in order to enable them to capture a fair share of the added value of sustainable production;
Amendment 1481 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Urges the Commission to follow up on Directive (EU) 2019/633 on unfair trading practices22 and the EU code of conduct on responsible business and marketing practices by producing a monitoring framework for the food and retail sectors and providing for legal action if progress in integrating economic, environmental and social sustainability into corporate strategies is insufficient, and in so doing promoting and rewarding the efforts of sustainable agricultural producers while increasing the availability and affordability of healthy, sustainable food options and reducing the overall environmental footprint of the food system; stresses the importance of halting and addressing consolidation and concentration in the grocery retail sector in order to ensure fair prices for farmers on the continent and in the outermost regions; emphasises that free trade agreements often lead to unfair competition and marketing practices, particularly in relation to imported agricultural products; _________________ 22 OJ L 111, 25.4.2019, p. 59.
Amendment 1509 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Urges the Commission to meet its commitments in terms of health security, protection of biodiversity and prevention of unfair competition when it sets the maximum residue limits for pesticides in agricultural products authorised for import under free trade agreements, and particularly when those products contain residues of pesticides banned in the EU;
Amendment 1571 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Calls on the Commission to identify practical ways of encouraging short supply chains, such as an exemption from VAT for products sold less than 100 km from their production site, and providing public spaces for the regular or seasonal sale of products from micro- enterprises or regional cooperatives;
Amendment 1617 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Stresses the need to better inform consumers through mandatory labelling of all foods in relation to country of origin, providing a clear and transparent tool for the entire agri-food chain that is applied uniformly throughout the European market;
Amendment 1624 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Stresses the need to be extremely careful about using connected digital systems in terms of cybersecurity and data protection; points out that the data collected in themselves pose a very sensitive strategic issue; emphasises, therefore, the importance of supporting the development of European solutions in this area;
Amendment 1641 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls for measures to reduce the burden that highly processed foods with high salt, sugar and fat content place on public health;regrets that the introduction of nutrient profiles is greatland consumer information campaigns to promote healthier diets that provide information on the importance of a varied and balanced diet that does not exclude any food, provided that it is consumed in the right amount and frequency and is accompanied by adelayed and stresses that a robust set of nutrient profiles must be developed to restrict or prohibit the use of false nutritional claims on foods high in fats, sugars and/or salt; calls for a mandatoryquate physical activity; welcomes efforts to harmonise EU-wide front-of-pack nutrition labelling systems, provided that they are voluntary, and based on the portions actually consumed and on independent science, eschewing simplistic solutions that could influence consumers’ decisions, as opposed to providing them with information on actual nutritional intake and balanced diets; believes that the instruments to harmonise EU-wide front- of- pack nutrition labelling system based on independent sciencehould exclude the use of simplified categories and/or categories represented by colour schemes or traffic lights, such as the ‘Nutriscore’ model;
Amendment 1669 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls for measures to reduce the burden that highly processed foods with high salt, sugar and fat content place on public health; regrets that the introduction of nutrient profiles is greatly delayed and stresses that a robust set of nutrient profiles must be developed to restrict or prohibit the use of false nutritional claimsinformation on foods high in fats, sugars and/or salt; calls for a mandatoencourages the introduction of a voluntary EU-wide front-of-pack nutrition labelling system based on independent science and taking account of the food and cultural traditions of Member States;
Amendment 1687 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Stresses the importance of the Commission’s proposal to introduce a harmonised front-of-pack (FOP) labelling system based on sound scientific evidence and supported by accurate impact assessments; calls on the Commission to take into account the actual daily intake of food and drink to avoid sending misleading messages to the consumer; takes the view that a harmonised scheme at EU level must be easy to understand and must not be misleading, and therefore advises against the use of colours that would convey a simplistic message without providing details of the method used to attribute them; expresses its concern that products protected by PDO and PGI labels might be penalised, since they are governed by production rules laying down the raw materials and production methods to be used, and as such cannot be changed;
Amendment 1784 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Welcomes the fact that the strategy rightly recognises the key role andof the market regulation organisation, the influence of the food environment in shaping consumption patterns, and the need to make it easier for consumers to choose healthy and, sustainable and local diets; reiterates the importance of promoting sustainable and traditional diets by raisinforming consumers and raising their awareness of the impacts of consumption patterns and providing information on diets that are better for human health and have a lower environmental footprint; underlines that food prices must send the right signal to consumers; welcomes, therefore, the strategy’s objective that the healthy and sustainable choice should become the most affordable one;
Amendment 1797 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Calls on the Member States to consider introducing, during protracted periods of crisis that affect the agri-food sector, ‘sector agreements’ and a ‘mediator-negotiator’ allowing competition in the sectors most affected to be suspended for a set period in order to guarantee fair prices throughout the food supply chain;
Amendment 1838 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Reaffirms its belief that policy measures that are dependent solely on consumer choice unduly shift the responsibility to purchase sustainable and local products to consumers; notes that third- party certification and labelling alone are not effective in ensuring sustainable production and consumption;
Amendment 1845 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Reiterates the need to have a price policy that ensures genuine consumer choice, so that quality products are not sold to consumers at prohibitive prices; notes that the aim in this respect is to balance a decent income for those involved in the agri-food chain, particularly farmers and small retailers, with affordable prices for consumers, who are the final link in the chain;
Amendment 1885 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Highlights the recognition in the strategy that Europeans’ diets are not always in line with recommendations for healthy eating, and that a population-wide shift in consumption patterns is needed towards more healthy and plant-based foods and less red and processed meat, sugars, salt, and fats, which will also benefit the environment; emphasises that EU-wide guidelines for sustainable and healthy diets would bring clarity to consumers on what constitutes a healthy and sustainable diet and inform Member States’ own efforts to integrate sustainability elements in national dietary advice; calls on the Commission to develop such guidelines and specific actions to effectively promote healthy plant-based diefoods; emphasises, in this respect, that European diets are varied, and that some are even recommended for their balance and nutritional qualities, such as the Mediterranean diet; emphasises that the balance of European diets is mainly affected by product standardisation and the influence of a globalised food culture, widespread consumption of fast food, consumer dependence on the agri-food industry, and the erosion of the ‘culinary arts’;
Amendment 1916 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Encourages the Member States to promote food education through their culinary traditions, understanding of their land and learning to cook from a very young age and in school;
Amendment 1918 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)
Paragraph 20 b (new)
20b. Points out that artificial food made in laboratories has little taste and few nutritional qualities, always contains additives, and has not been properly assessed in terms of its toxicity; emphasises, in this respect, that artificial food is an aberration and an attempt by laboratories to pre-empt the food sector, which could have long-term consequences on prices and agricultural jobs;
Amendment 1931 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Considers that the further development of natural plant protein production and alternative sources of proteinnatural protein – such as algae – in the EU is a way of effectively addressing manysome of the environmental and climate challenges that EU agriculture is facing, as well asnd that this production could reduce our dependence on imported plant proteins, which have a greater environmental impact than domestically produced plant proteins, and preventing deforestation in third countries outside the EU;
Amendment 1984 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls for a revision of public procurement legislation and for national or European public tenders for food to favour local supplies, including minimum mandatory criteria in schools and other public institutions to encourage organic and local food production and to promote more healthy diets by creating a food environment that enables consumers to make the healthy choice;
Amendment 2022 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Reiterates its call to take the measures required to achieve a Union domestic and agricultural food waste reduction target of 30 % by 2025 and 50 % by 2030 compared to the 2014 baseline; underlines that binding targets are needed to achieve this; stresses the need for criminal penalties for undertakings that breach agreements reached with farmers;
Amendment 2106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Underlines the importance EU funding for research and innovation as a key driver in accelerating the transition to a more sustainable, healthy and inclusivelocal European food system while facilitating investments needed to encourage agro- ecological practices in both social and technological innovation, and the crucial role of farm advisory services in ensuring the transfer of knowledge to the farming community, drawing on the existing specialised training systems for farmers in Member States; points out the need to take account of the accumulated delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is hindering the economic recovery efforts aimed at continental and overseas farmers and fishers, with those overseas particularly suffering from their remoteness and island location;
Amendment 2155 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Notes that quality food, fair profits for producers, fair prices for consumers, food sovereignty, environmental protection and high standards of animal welfare are essential prerequisites for a balanced and sustainable consumption policy;
Amendment 2173 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)
Paragraph 25 b (new)
25b. Calls for the utmost care to be taken not only with foreign investments in the strategic agri-food sector, but also when selling agricultural land, and more generally in all EU agricultural sectors;
Amendment 2193 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Recalls the global responsibility of European food systems and their key role in setting global standards for food safety, environmental protection and animal welfare; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that all food and feed products imported to the EU fully meet relevant EU regulations and standards and to provide development assistance to support primary producers from developing countries in meeting, to never lower our requirements to meet import conditions defined in free trade agreements, and to make those standards strictly mandatory for gaining access to the European market, so that European continental or overseas producers and producers outside Europe are subject to those standardame market conditions; welcomes the Commission’s intention to take the environmental impacts of requested import tolerances into account; calls on the Commission to revise the free trade agreements, given the environmental impact that some agricultural products imported from third countries may have;
Amendment 2239 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Believes that environmental, social and economic sustainability must be at the heart of the future EU trade policy and every bilateral trade agreement, adopting an approach to trade policies with third countries that safeguards the value of European farmers’ environmental sustainability efforts;
Amendment 2258 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Points out that the tools of the farm to fork strategy will be beneficial for the European market only if environmental and social sustainability and local production and consumption are placed at the heart of EU trade policy, instead of free trade agreements with third countries;
Amendment 2276 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 b (new)
Paragraph 26 b (new)
26b. Points out that, in its delegated decisions, the Commission must take account of third country compliance with animal welfare standards, rearing and slaughter conditions and working conditions, as well as respect for workers’ human rights, particularly where those decisions concern products imported into the EU;