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The new algorithm for calculating the Nutri-Score comes into force in January 2024. It aims to tighten up the evaluation of some foods that, despite their higher sugar content, for example, were still rated relatively positively on the Nutri-Score scale. The changes, which come into force in January 2024, could affect 30-40% of products on the shelves. For breakfast cereals, only sugar-free muesli will be able to report a positive A rating on the Nutri-Score from January. Compared to the current rating, for example, Chocapic (from B to C), Special Ks (Kellogg's, from B to C) or Lion (from C to D) will suffer a downgrade. On the other hand, the new calculation should help wholemeal flours, oily fish and some oils (e.g. olive or rapeseed). Milk, however, will see a deterioration from A to B for skimmed milk and from B to C for whole milk. The only beverage that can be rated A from January 2024 is water. Most sweetened beverages will drop from a B to a C. Sweetened yoghurts could then drop from a B to a D. Red meat will be rated less positively than poultry or fish (red meat will have only 2 plus points, while poultry or fish will have up to 7 plus points in the Nutri-Score calculation). Producers have two years to implement these label changes. The Nutri-Score remains a voluntary tool for providing nutrition information on the front of food packaging, used in Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland. Belgium, currently holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU, has decided to organise a Scientific Symposium on Nutri-Score on 25/04/2024. The aim of the Presidency could be to revive the debate on the proposal to revise the rules on consumer information (1169/2011), which was due to be presented by the Commission in November 2022 and has been postponed indefinitely.
More information is available here.

Polish farmers are demonstratively continuing to blockade border crossings with Ukraine despite the Polish government's promise to meet their demands. Polish farmers blocked border crossings with Ukraine last year in protest against the entry of Ukrainian goods into the Polish market, but these were released over the Christmas period. On 04/01/2024, they renewed the blockade of the crossings despite a promise by Polish Agriculture Minister Czeslaw Siekierski to meet the farmers' demands in extending the unilateral ban on Ukrainian goods entering the Polish market. The European Commission sent a letter to Poland last week calling for the lifting of the indefinite embargo on duty-free imports of some Ukrainian products. Siekierski said in response that the grain crisis of a year ago was in danger of returning, so he was not yet planning to lift the ban. Latvian Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens has repeatedly called for the import and transit of Russian and Belarusian grain to be added to the EU sanctions list. At the same time, Briškens has opened talks with Estonia and Lithuania to ensure that the countries take a coordinated stance on the ban on Russian and Belarusian grain imports. In addition, Latvia plans to conduct an impact assessment of the ban on the transit of Russian and Belarusian cargo.
More information is available here, here, and here.

The Brazilian Association of Beef Exporters (ABIEC) has criticised European rules against deforestation in third countries. The law on combating deforestation and forest degradation due to production and consumption in the Union entered into force on 29/06/2023, effective from the end of 2024. The European Commission said in a statement that if companies export or place on the European market palm oil, cattle, soy, coffee, cocoa, wood and rubber or products made from them, such as beef, furniture or chocolate, they will have to carry out strict due diligence to demonstrate that these products do not contribute to deforestation or forest degradation. The Commission also launched on 18/12/2023 a pilot test of an information system for deforestation-free supply chains. The pilot test will run until the end of January 2024, involving 100 stakeholders across relevant commodities and involving actors of different sizes and regional representation. But according to ABIEC, European rules against deforestation are an excessive burden on South American farms. According to ABIEC, Brazilian producers have been monitoring their supply chains since 2009, primarily for animal health reasons. Realigning these mechanisms to track deforestation will be challenging. The rules should be clearer, and a longer transition period should also be set, according to ABIEC.

Brazil and Mexico are working together to develop a regional plan that will allow uninterrupted trade in poultry and eggs between the countries despite a possible outbreak of avian flu. Brazil is currently experiencing an outbreak in wild and backyard poultry. The plan thus aims to map the possible affected areas and to establish exclusion zones in the event of confirmation of avian influenza in the area.
More information is available here.

Last week, the European Commission launched the EU Observatory on Deforestation and Forest Degradation (here), which provides maps and datasets on changes in the world's forest cover and related causes. The Observatory is one of the tools that support EU and third country efforts to ensure a successful deforestation-free market chain. The Observatory builds on existing monitoring tools (such as Copernicus and other publicly or privately available sources) and will facilitate access to free information on supply chains for businesses, public bodies and consumers.