News

The European Commission called on Austria to ban tail-docking of pigs. According to a recent audit, this practice is still common in Austria even according to EU legislation this practice is not allowed because of animal welfare. The exception is preventive docking to prevent tail biting caused by stress. The competent Austrian authorities also did not take any concrete measures to stop tail-docking and did not introduce the relevant EU legislation into their national legislation. However, audits carried out in 2019 showed that tail-docking continues to be used throughout the EU. The Commission has therefore drawn up a working document with recommendations to Member States to end this practice.
More information is available here.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), based on a review of available scientific findings, concluded that glyphosate is not a carcinogenic substance. In its opinion published on 30/01/2020, the Agency states that it has not identified any risks arising from glyphosate exposure - when the herbicide is used as recommended, there are no risks to human health. The potential ecological risk exists in mammals and birds when located in or near the area of application. The risk to terrestrial and aquatic plants is because of wind spray spreading. According to the EPA, it is therefore necessary to amend the instructions for use with a restricted area of use and to set the level of protection against spraying.
More information is available here.

The EU offers an ambitious free trade agreement to the UK - offering zero tariffs and quotas on all goods entering the Single market. The EU will insist on a fisheries agreement with reciprocal access to markets and waters and with defined share quotas that could only be changed with the agreement of both parties. This agreement would have to be concluded by 01/07/2020 to allow timely determination of fishing opportunities in the first year after the transitional period. In the area of trade in agricultural products, the Commission calls for a partnership going beyond the WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and the recognition of controls on sustainable food systems, including animal welfare. The Commission recommendation was submitted to the Council, the General Affairs Council should grant a negotiating mandate on 25/02/2020. The first formal EU-UK negotiation team meeting is expected in early March 2020.
More information is available here.

The European Commission published its Work Programme for this year last week. Among the new challenges, the Commission has included European Green Deal, which has also identified as the key priority - the Green Deal should address climate and environmental problems, biodiversity loss, growing problems of forest fires or floods. The Green Deal should steer European industry and the economy towards innovations, resource efficiency, the circular economy and sustainability. It should also support the development of employment and competitiveness on a global scale. The first step will be European Climate Legislation, which will introduce a binding target of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. The European Green Deal will include a Farm to Fork Strategy - the strategy should cover the whole food supply chain.

According to the Work Programme, the Commission should publish:
- European Climate Law (Q1/2020, legislative act)
- European Climate Pact (Q3/2020, non-legislative act)
- Sustainable Finance Strategy (Q3/2020, non-legislative act)
- Forestry Strategy (Q4/2020, non-legislative act)
- The 2030 Climate Plan (Q3/2020, non-legislative act)
- Circular Economy Action Plan (Q1/2020, non-legislative act)
- EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 (Q1/2020 - estimated 31/03/2020, non-legislative act)
-Strategy for Sustainable and Smart Mobility (Q4/2020, non-legislative act)
- Revision of the Guidelines on certain State aid measures in the context of the greenhouse gas emission allowance trading scheme (Q4/2020, non-legislative act)
- Fitness check on Endocrine disruptors (2020)
- Revision of the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive (2020)
- Evaluation of the EU Strategy for animal welfare (2020)
- Evaluation of the Food Contact Material Legislation (2020)

Commission work plan is available here, new initiatives here, planned revisions here.

On 29/01/2020 the European Commission published its Programme for the following year, one of the items is the Farm to Fork Strategy. The European Commission stated that the strategy would be published in spring 2020, probably 31/03/2020; this publication should be preceded by a public consultation on Farm to Fork, originally planned by the Commission for February 2020. However, according to unofficial information, it is possible that the Commission will not start the consultation until March 2020, possibly at the turn of February and March. On 31/01/2020 the first seminar of the European Commission and representatives of EU Member States on this strategy took place, during the seminar some Member States presented their achievements and experiences in the sustainability of food systems (NL - Circular Economy; DK - Animal Welfare, transport of animals is limited to 8 hours; FI). According to preliminary information, Farm to Fork Strategy will aim to reduce the amount of pesticides, antibiotics and fertilizers used; strengthening organic farming; strengthening the sustainability of food production (including processing or trade); enhancing sustainable consumption; reducing food waste and losses; combating food fraud; strengthening sustainable feed production; processing of alternative protein sources in the EU (novel foods, insects, etc.); reducing the volume of packaging materials; strengthening the sustainability of food transport; reducing the volume of salt, sugar and fat in foods; introduction of uniform mandatory nutrition labelling for foods on the front packaging of products; introduction of food sustainability labels; indication of the country of origin of certain foods (in particular for milk, dairy products and meat); or fair setting of trade agreements reflecting EU production requirements. In total, the strategy should contain 95 policy-specific proposals, but the specific objectives (for example for pesticide reduction) are not yet known. The Commission does not yet explicitly mention support in the proposals for reducing meat consumption, but expresses its support for the consumption of vegetables, fruit, legumes, cereals and fish (there is no support for meat consumption). The Commission has also not envisaged the introduction of animal welfare labelling, but it already supports FR, ES, and DE.