Why sustainability should be in every dietary guideline
Recent updates to national dietary guidelines across Europe reveal a growing shift in how governments approach food consumption. Countries like Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, and Norway have started recommending reduced meat consumption and increased intake of plant-based foods. Importantly, a number of these countries – although not all – are also integrating sustainability and […]
How the debate on food security and tradition is distorted to promote meat production
On 15 July 2024, and at Budapest’s initiative, EU agriculture ministers were invited to discuss the need to protect Europe’s culinary traditions from novel and innovative foods – that is, plant-based foods and cultivated meat. In light of the pressing issues facing our food systems, the importance and topic of this meeting were both deeply […]
EVU’s Open Letter calls on AGRI Committee members to work for sustainable food systems
The European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) was formally constituted, and its Chair and Vice-Chairs elected on 23/07/2024. The European Vegetarian Union (EVU) has published an open letter to the Committee members, calling them to work towards supporting sustainable food systems. Open Letter to the European Parliament Committee on Agriculture and […]
EVU calls on Ursula von der Leyen to uphold Green Deal and Farm2Fork
With 401 votes in favour, Ursula von der Leyen has just been re-elected as President of the European Commission. The European Vegetarian Union ( EVU) has sent her a congratulations letter calling for the uphold of the Green Deal and Farm2Fork Strategy. The latter was absent from her political guidelines for the mandate, presented this […]
Hungarian Presidency risks agricultural sustainability and competitiveness by going against plant-based foods
The European Vegetarian Union (EVU) has expressed concern at recent developments regarding the agenda put forward by the Hungarian Presidency of the EU for the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting on 15/07/2024. In particular, the tabled discussion on the supposed impact of plant-based foods on “Europe’s culinary traditions”. The EVU urges ministers to consider the […]
Belgian Presidency of the EU urge focus on plant protein availability and diversification
The European Vegetarian Union broadly welcomed the conclusions drawn from the recent meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries under the Belgian Presidency on 24 June 2024. The meeting, which aimed to discuss the future of agriculture and fisheries in the EU, recognised the need to enhance the availability and diversification of plant protein […]
Farm2Flop: How the last mandate was an empty plate for sustainability
In December 2019, the launch of the Farm to Fork Strategy, part of the EU Green Deal, gave many of us hope for the future. While the strategy lacked some clear targets for climate and failed to propose measures to address the livestock industry or dietary changes, it nevertheless represented a significant step forward. A […]
EVU urges unity and support for the green transition amid European Parliament political shift
Following the recent European elections, the political landscape in Brussels has been significantly altered. The elections are expected to result in a potential weakening of the Green Deal majority. Despite the political shifts, the alliance between socialists, liberals and centre-right can continue to hold as it has done over the last mandate and should ensure […]
Opinion: Farmers and the plant-based transition: unlikely partners or perfect pair?
The agricultural sector is crucial to Europe’s heritage, supporting communities, generating employment, and providing food on our tables. But farmers are expressing anger and frustration over a range of reasons, from unfair trading practices and bureaucracy to environmental measures – as demonstrated by the recent waves of protests across the European bloc. Opinions are increasingly […]
Large survey of political parties across Europe shows increasing calls for more sustainable food and agriculture
In a newly published report, Plant-based Politics: the 2024 EU Election Guide, the European Vegetarian Union has compiled the largest survey of its kind, collecting answers from over 50 political parties across Europe and 7 Europarties, on where they stand on food policy issues. The report looks at the answers Europarties and national political parties […]
