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On 16/09/2020, the European Parliament adopted an EP legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council decision on the EU's own resources system, including targets for the recycling of packaging waste materials. In its Resolution, Parliament stated that, in line with the EU strategy for plastics, the Union budget could contribute to reducing pollution from plastic packaging waste and achieving the targets for the recycling of waste packaging materials. According to the EP, the own resource from Member States' contributions in proportion to the amount of plastic packaging waste not recycled in each Member State will provide an incentive to reduce the consumption of disposable plastics and support recycling and the circular economy. The Commission should therefore introduce a simplified calculation method and effective registration and control mechanisms. At the same time, Member States should be left free to take the most appropriate measures to achieve those objectives, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity. Given that this contribution is intended to be an own resource based on the "polluter pays" principle, it should not be subject to any redress mechanism, according to the EP. The European Commission has proposed to tax non-recycled packaging waste at a rate of €0.80 per kilogram from 01/01/2021. The European Parliament has supported the possibility of strengthening the rate, up to a maximum of €2.00 per kilogram, also with effect from 01/01/2021.
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Rapporteur on the EP report on the Common Market Organization (part of the CAP legislative package) Eric Andrieu (S&D, FR) tabled a compromise amendment on 11/09/2020 on the discussed ban on the use of names traditionally used for meat products for plant-based meat substitute. Andrieu suggests that the Commission draw up draft rules for the definition, designation or trade names of meat and meat products and their plant-based alternatives. The topic is now being discussed in the European Parliament, and the Greens and the GUE / NGL are seeking to make it possible to use the names of traditional meat products for plant-based products. The EP plenary is expected to vote on the report at the end of October 2020.
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Thirty food companies, including Nestlé and Unilever, have supported the European Green Deal, which sets the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. The common position sets out the possibilities for the transition to a circular and sustainable economy as the situation stabilizes in the post-coronary crisis. According to the opinion, companies could reduce their carbon footprint, for example by introducing new production techniques and using innovative working models.
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According to preliminary results from a study by Singaporean and Irish scientists, the COVID-19 virus can survive in frozen and chilled chicken and pork, as well as salmon, for up to three weeks. According to the study, coronavirus can survive the time and temperature corresponding to the conditions of transport and storage of meat in the international food trade. Studies of meat samples showed a constant level of virus even after 21 days. Several reports of contaminated food have been reported in recent weeks, with China reporting a finding of coronavirus in imported chicken meat and frozen shrimp packaging.
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The recent outbreak of African swine fever in the German Federal Republic of Brandenburg has led China to ban the import of pork from Germany. Thus, world pork prices are expected to increase, which will benefit other pork exporters such as the ES and the US, which are not affected by the disease. Germany continues to negotiate with the Chinese government to lift the import ban. Currently, 13 cases of African swine fever in wild boars have been confirmed in Germany, all cases have been detected near the border with Poland.
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