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The UN's International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), whose members include representatives from 195 countries, published its latest findings on 20/03/2023, warning of worsening global warming prospects. The panel called for urgent and significant reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions as well as mitigation and adaptation measures. The panel highlighted, among other things, the positive side of changes in the food sector or land use. Among the recommended measures are access to clean energy and technology, low-carbon electrification, promotion of traditional mobility - walking, cycling, public transport, but also effective protection of around 30-50% of the earth's land, freshwater and saltwater areas, a shift to healthy diets, reducing food waste and a transition to sustainable agriculture.
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On 22/03/2023, the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (COMAGRI) adopted an own-initiative opinion on the European School Milk and School Fruit and Vegetable Programmes, supporting the strengthening of education and the sourcing of food from organic farming. According to COMAGRI's opinion, Member States should use at least 10% of their budget allocation for educational measures to raise awareness of the nutritional value of food. The Committee supported better access to organic and unprocessed food under these schemes, as well as access to alternative choices for children suffering from allergies and intolerances. The opinion was approved by 42 votes to 2, with no abstentions.
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At the Agriculture Council on 20/03/2023, Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski summarised the current situation on commodity markets. Across the agri-food sector, producer prices are relatively stable with variations by Member State and sector. Apart from the effects of aggression on the UA, negative effects related to input prices and reduced consumer purchasing power can also be observed. Farmers in the countries directly neighbouring Ukraine, in particular BG, PL and RO, are facing the greatest problems. This is why the EC has decided to provide these countries with part of the so-called agricultural reserve (see separate update below). Most of the reserve will remain unused so that it can be used in case of further market problems. The general uncertainty in the markets stems from a number of factors, weather, high input costs and high inflation in the food market. Fertiliser and energy costs have fallen sharply and have now returned to pre-war levels. The cereals market is stabilising, but fruit and vegetable producers are facing a rather difficult situation due to anomalies in weather conditions. In the livestock sector, rising pigmeat prices and farm closures were mentioned. Poultry meat production has fallen sharply in the main producing Member States, with the exception of PL. The EU is currently facing a strong wave of avian influenza, which is present throughout the year. Imports into the EU are increasing, especially from Brazil and Ukraine.

On 22/03/2023, poultry meat producers represented by the European organisation AVEC called on the European Commission to ensure support for the poultry meat sector in the EU. While expressing solidarity with Ukraine, AVEC stresses that the poultry meat sector is paying too high a tax for the full liberalisation of trade between the EU and Ukraine, which has been in place since last May. According to AVEC, trade liberalisation has led to an 80% increase in poultry and egg imports into the EU, with total poultry meat imports to the EU increasing by 80% to 163,675 tonnes in 2022 following the abolition of tariff quotas. The Commission has proposed to extend trade liberalisation with Ukraine for another year, but AVEC is asking for the poultry meat sector to be excluded from the liberalisation agreement and for import quotas to be reintroduced. If quotas cannot be reintroduced, then AVEC asks for a quicker introduction of safeguard clauses (currently three months, AVEC believes this should be reduced to one month) and for more flexibility in the initiation of safeguard clauses (currently only the Commission or a Member State can initiate a safeguard clause, AVEC asks that safeguard clauses can also be initiated by representative associations for the sector). Ukraine should also commit to comply with EU standards on animal welfare, food safety, animal health and environmental protection), according to AVEC. Border controls and fair competition for EU poultry producers should be ensured.

On 20/03/2023, the European Commission published a proposal to use part of the Common Agricultural Policy crisis reserve of €56.3 million to support farmers in countries affected by increased imports of Ukrainian agricultural products. The aim of the measure is to reduce the impact of market imbalances caused by increased imports of cereals and oilseeds from Ukraine - the aid would be paid to Poland (€29.5 million), Bulgaria (€16.75 million) and Romania (€10.05 million). The negative impacts in Hungary and Slovakia were not sufficiently serious to warrant aid, according to the Commission. The proposal will be decided by the representatives of the Member States at a meeting on 30/03/2023. Italy is also seeking support from the crisis reserve and would like to receive €27 million to deal with avian flu.
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