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Last week, the United States Department of Agriculture supplemented its forecasts of the impact of the implementation of the European Farm to Fork strategy by restricting access to food at the global level. As early as the beginning of October, the US Department warned of rising world food prices in connection with the implementation of Farm to Fork strategy goals, in 02/11/2020 in its report "Economic and Food Security Impacts of Agricultural Input Reduction Under the European Union Green Deal’s Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategies” the ministry elaborated the possible impacts in more detail. It addressed three possible scenarios - that the objectives of both strategies would only be adopted at EU level, that they would be adopted by parts of third countries, and that they would be adopted worldwide. In the third scenario, the EU is expected to ban trade with countries that do not adhere to the Farm to Fork and biodiversity strategies. The US Department of Agriculture states in the report that even in the first scenario, the impact of implementing the strategies will be noticeable in third countries. In the first scenario, EU agricultural production would fall by 7% by 2030 compared to the present, in the third scenario, EU agricultural production would fall by 12% and globally by 11%. According to the report, a fall in European and thus world production would lead to rising food prices, threats to food security, restrictions on trade, and a fall in GDP. The number of people who do not have sufficient access to food daily would increase from 22 million to 185 million if the strategy were to be adopted at global level.
More information is available here.

On 04/11/2020, the Commission launched feedback on nature restoration objectives in the framework of the EU Biodiversity Strategy. Based on the impact assessment, the initiative will propose legally binding targets for nature restoration to meet biodiversity protection by 2030. The consultation is open until 02/12/2020, available here.

On 05/11/2020, the Commission launched feedback on healthy soils in the framework of the new EU Soil Strategy. The aim of the initiative is to update the current strategy for tackling soil degradation in line with the biodiversity targets by 2030. The consultation is open until 10/12/2020, available here.

On 05/11/2020, the Commission launched feedback on the 8th Environmental Action Plan. The aim of the initiative is to create a new environmental action plan, which will be implemented from January 2021 and will be in line with the objectives of the European Green Deal. The consultation is open until 31/12/2020, available here.

On 04/11/2020, the Commission introduced controls on the import of bioethanol into the European Union to protect the European market against increased quantities of low-priced goods imported during the coronavirus period. A further increase in bioethanol imports into the EU would cause economic damage to local producers, the Commission monitors the development of product imports and provides the sectors concerned with a better overview of the situation. The Commission remains ready to examine duly substantiated import control requests in other sectors of the economy.
More information is available here.

The European Commission has supported a € 3.6 million beef promotion campaign in Belgium, France, Germany, Portugal, and Spain, with strong criticism from environmental organizations. The campaign is said to run counter to the objectives of the European Green Deal and to promote unsustainable diets. The Commission is currently reviewing the promotion program to strengthen the sustainability of EU production and consumption in the context of promotion programs.
More information is available here and here.

German Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner said last week that the EU's animal transport rules must be adjusted so that they no longer allow the transport of live animals through third countries that are unable to guarantee and that do not comply with European animal welfare rules. According to Klöckner, the EU should reduce the volume of transported live animals, on the contrary, it should strengthen the transport of meat and meat products.