PRIORITIES FOR THE GREEK PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN …€¦ · For more information...

PRIORITIES FORTHE GREEK PRESIDENCYOF THE COUNCIL OFTHE EUROPEAN UNIONJanuary - June 2014

2 FoodDrinkEurope Priorities

Introducing FoodDrinkEurope 3

Promoting a Food and Drink Industrial Policy 4

Innovating for growth 6

Promoting balanced diets and healthy lifestyles 8

Encouraging a more sustainable business model 10

Facts and figures 12

Members 14

For more information on FoodDrinkEurope 16

Summary

FoodDrinkEurope Priorities 3

FoodDrinkEurope represents Europe’s food and drink industry. A pillar of the EU economy, Europe’s food and drink industry boasts an annual turnover of €1,017 billion and generates 4.25 million jobs, making it the largest manufacturing industry in the EU. This represents 14.9% of the total manufacturing sector turnover and 15% of the total manufacturing sector employment in the EU. The industry is highly fragmented with over 287,000 companies, approximately 285,000 of which are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which account for almost half of the total industry turnover and two-thirds of overall industry employment. Europe’s food manufacturing industry is also a local industry, using 70% of agricultural raw materials produced in the EU, which helps generate jobs both up and downstream in communities throughout the European Union.

MissionFoodDrinkEurope seeks to promote the creation of an environment in which all food and drink companies, whatever their size, can meet changing consumer demands while competing for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Central to realising this vision is the need to improve the opportunities for food and drink manufacturers to grow, and to do that, the industry needs to be able to innovate and gain access to markets. FoodDrinkEurope works closely with its social partners1 to better connect the worlds of business and education, and exploit the potential of new technologies to drive up qualifications and foster innovation.

This progress, in turn, will help strengthen the industry’s global competitive position in continuing to serve consumers by providing safe, nutritious, affordable food and drink products produced in a sustainable way. FoodDrinkEurope also aims to enhance consumer trust in Europe’s food and drink industry and create wider recognition of its important contribution to the daily lives of citizens across the Union.

1 www.effat.org

MembershipFoodDrinkEurope’s direct membership includes 26 national federations (including three observers), 25 EU sector associations and 17 large food and drink companies. As the largest manufacturing industry in the EU, food business operators request that the Greek Presidency of the Council of the EU gives due consideration to their priorities in the coming six months.

These include:

• Ensuring Europe’s food and drink products maintain the highest standards of food safety and developing new products that bring benefits to the consumer;

• Enhancing food operators’ abilities to respond to new challenges both in the EU and globally;

• Contributing to consumer well-being by promoting balanced diets and healthy lifestyles among Europe’s 500 million consumers;

• Promoting an EU food and drink industrial policy to benefit consumers and actors across the supply chain and support the future competitiveness of the sector;

• Encouraging a more sustainable supply chain aligned with the EU 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.

FoodDrinkEurope calls on the Greek Presidency to work closely with Europe’s food manufacturers, together with other stakeholders and in partnership, to help deliver on their Presidency Priorities and to help ensure the continued global competitiveness of Europe’s largest manufacturing industry.

Promoting a

Introduction

■ 26 national federations (with three observers) ■ 25 EU sector associations■ 17 large food and drink companies


Promoting a Food and Drink Industrial PolicyAn EU Industrial Policy for food and drink will benefit consumers and actors across the supply chain and support the future competitiveness of the sector.


Industrial competitiveness:Europe’s food and drink industry has sustained positive growth levels in the EU economy outperforming the vast majority of other EU manufacturing sectors since the peak of the downturn in 2008, both in terms of production and employment. On the occasion of the European Council Summit in February, where the Heads of State and Government will focus for the first time on industrial competitiveness, Europe’s food and drink manufacturers call for the development and implementation of an integrated EU Industrial Policy for food without delay.

In this context, FoodDrinkEurope asks the Greek Presidency to pay particular attention to the essential work already undertaken within the High Level Forum for a Better Functioning Food Supply Chain2 and support the mandate of the Forum which is to develop an EU Industrial Policy for food. This is of critical importance to the competitiveness of the sector both in Europe and worldwide. In addition to the many important efforts already undertaken within this Forum, FoodDrinkEurope calls on the Greek Presidency to take into consideration five key issues, crucial to the implementation of the EU 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. These include: (i) the Regulatory Fitness and Performance Programme (REFIT)3, (ii) Environmental Policy & Sustainability, (iii) B2B Relations along the food supply chain, (iv) International Trade, and finally (v) Employment.

Bilateral trade relations:In 2012, Europe’s food and drink industry exported €86.2 billion in food and drink products to third countries and generated a positive trade balance of close to €23 billion. To promote trade opportunities for Europe’s food and drink products, manufacturers look to the Greek Presidency to continue to maintain a strong rules-based multilateral trade system.

Regarding bilateral trade agreements, FoodDrinkEurope encourages the Greek Presidency to support the conclusion and ratification of the

2 http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/food/competitiveness/forum_food/index_en.htm

3 http://ec.europa.eu/smart-regulation/refit/index_en.htm

EU-Ukraine Association Agreement as well as the ongoing negotiations for an EU-Japan Free Trade Agreement.

FoodDrinkEurope also asks the Greek Presidency to ensure the timely approval of the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) by the Council once negotiations have concluded.

Finally, FoodDrinkEurope looks forward to the next rounds of negotiations on the proposed EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the opportunity to provide input, setting out the interests of Europe’s food and drink industry - with a focus on the elimination and prevention of non-tariff barriers, as well as on regulatory convergence.

Promotion Policy for EU agri-food products:Europe’s food and drink manufacturers call for a more ambitious Promotion Policy for EU exports. An improved and simplified policy in this area will help increase the export capacity of Europe’s 271,000 food and drink SMEs and raise awareness about the value and quality of European agri-food products within the EU and globally. FoodDrinkEurope asks the Greek Presidency to make the reform of the EU’s Promotion Policy a priority and to ensure its further adaptation to food operators’ needs and to present market conditions.

Biofuels:FoodDrinkEurope4 welcomes the Commission proposals on biofuels currently under discussion in the Council and the European Parliament, which aim to limit the amount of conventional biofuels produced from food crops, encourage greater market penetration of advanced biofuels and improve the GHG performance of future production. FoodDrinkEurope5 calls on the Greek Presidency to ensure that a ‘food first’ approach is taken when bringing this proposal to conclusion.

4 CEFS (Comité Européen des Fabricants de Sucre) does not support the position of FoodDrinkEurope. ANIA (Association Nationale des Industries Alimentaires) did not reach a consensus on this position.

5 ibid


Innovating for growthInnovation is essential to increasing the competitiveness of Europe’s food and drink industry. Science and science-based regulation plays a key role in helping the industry meet new challenges by developing new products and using new technologies, as appropriate, which bring benefits to the consumer.


FoodDrinkEurope seeks continued efforts from all actors concerned to contribute to a veritable Innovation Union in the EU under the Greek Presidency, removing bottlenecks to innovation to bring new and improved products to market.

Research and Innovation:The first set of calls under Horizon 2020, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, should focus on research into the following areas: sustainable development, challenges related to climate change and the development of a healthy diet for a healthy life.

Novel Foods Regulation:FoodDrinkEurope asks the Greek Presidency to drive forward discussions in the Council on a new proposal for a Novel Foods Regulation. This new proposal should take into consideration those elements where consensus in a previous draft has already been reached. It should also include a simplified process of approval for novel foods for which an extended use is requested, which would also enable SMEs to gain approval for new Novel Food products.

Regulatory Fitness and Performance Programme (REFIT):FoodDrinkEurope calls on the Greek Presidency and Member States to ensure that this initiative will help simplify existing legislation and reduce administrative burdens for the 287,000 food and drink companies in Europe, an overwhelming majority of which are SMEs. FoodDrinkEurope, as the representative body for Europe’s food and drink industry, requests the opportunity to contribute to the content of the European Commission Communication on EU Regulatory Fitness with a view to examining the functioning of the general food law.

European Technology Platform (ETP) ‘Food for Life’:Under the Greek Presidency, FoodDrinkEurope seeks to promote its work in presenting research and innovation opportunities and improving the transfer and share of knowledge (particularly to SMEs) across the food and drink industry in Europe. FoodDrinkEurope also asks the Greek Presidency to support the Horizon 2020 work programme in the area of Food, Agriculture, Fisheries, and Biotechnology, including the impact of food and nutritional behaviour, lifestyle and the socio-economic environment, sustainable food production, as well as the assessment of global drivers of change on Europe’s food security.

Official Food & Feed Regulation:FoodDrinkEurope urges the Greek Presidency to drive forward discussions in the Council to ensure the timely conclusion and adoption of this important dossier.

Honey Directive:FoodDrinkEurope asks the Greek Presidency to facilitate a timely conclusion of the Honey Directive6. In particular, FoodDrinkEurope urges the Greek Presidency to ensure that the Directive clarifies the true nature of pollen as a constituent of honey.

6 Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 2001/110/EC relating to honey


Promoting balanced diets and healthy lifestylesEurope’s food and drink manufacturers are doing their utmost every day to provide safe, high-quality and affordable products for over 500 million European consumers. FoodDrinkEurope calls on the Greek Presidency and EU Member States to acknowledge the positive role of the European food and drink industry in promoting more balanced diets and healthier lifestyles.


Industry’s commitment to help consumers make healthier choices:Encouraging consumers to adopt healthier lifestyles through a balanced diet and more physical activity is a major challenge for modern societies. In June 2013, the evaluation report of the EU Strategy on Nutrition, Overweight and Obesity Related Issues, recognised the importance of actions in the EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health7 to address overweight and obesity issues.

A founding member of the Platform, FoodDrinkEurope and its members have developed, supported and encouraged initiatives and commitments in areas such as reformulation, consumer information, responsible marketing and promoting healthier lifestyles, and this work is on-going8. To highlight one of the above initiatives, last year FoodDrinkEurope renewed its commitment to encourage consistent and harmonised front-of-pack nutrition labelling on food and drink products by means of voluntary Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) / Reference Intake (RI) labelling, which has been adopted by many companies throughout the EU and beyond.

FoodDrinkEurope calls on the Greek Presidency and EU Member States to continue to support stakeholders in their voluntary efforts to help deliver tangible results under the EU Platform. This is considered to be particularly relevant in view of the EU Action Plan on Childhood Obesity, which is expected to be adopted under the Greek Presidency.

FoodDrinkEurope urges the Greek Presidency and Member States in the High Level Group on Nutrition and Physical Activity not to resort to simplistic “quick fix” policy measures under the pretext of addressing public health, such as discriminatory taxes on specific food and drink products or on individual nutrients. FoodDrinkEurope requests that the Greek Presidency takes a holistic approach to tackling obesity and non-communicable diseases, including the promotion of nutrition and physical activity education.

7 http://ec.europa.eu/health/nutrition_physical_activity/platform/index_en.htm8 FoodDrinkEurope’s commitments account for almost half of the total

commitments submitted under the Platform.

Making informed choices - new EU labelling rules:The Regulation on the Provision of Food Information to Consumers (EU) No. 1169/2011 is a complex piece of legislation and will result in significant changes to the way products are labelled when it enters into force. Specifically, the new labelling rules refer to nutrition information, origin labelling, legibility, allergen labelling and to other issues that manufacturers and retailers will have to comply with by December 2014.

FoodDrinkEurope asks the Greek Presidency to ensure that the industry is duly consulted during the on-going implementation discussions, in particular with regard to those implementing measures which have a direct impact on food and drink manufacturing. Such measures include, but are not limited to, origin labelling and voluntary Front of Pack (FoP) nutrition declaration.

In addition, FoodDrinkEurope asks the Greek Presidency to take note of the comprehensive ‘Guidance on Food Information to Consumers’9 developed jointly by FoodDrinkEurope and EuroCommerce, which advises food business operators on how to comply with the Regulation.

Nutrition and health claims:FoodDrinkEurope welcomes the adoption of the list of authorised health claims under Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006 which provides clarity for both consumers and food business operators. However, several claims are still ‘on hold’ and it is expected that further discussions will take place at EU level. FoodDrinkEurope asks that any decision made by the risk manager concerning the authorisation and the conditions of use of a positively assessed claim should be based on, first and foremost, the Scientific Opinion by EFSA.

During the Greek Presidency, FoodDrinkEurope looks forward to receiving more clarity on the health claims that are currently ‘on hold’.

9 http://www.fooddrinkeurope.eu/uploads/publications_documents/FDE_Guidance_WEB.pdf


Encouraging a more sustainable business modelThe food and drink industry has a unique relationship with the environment, on which it relies for continuous, adequate supplies of safe, high quality agricultural raw materials to make food and drink products that are enjoyed around the world.


Achieving smart, green growth within Europe’s food manufacturing industry makes good business sense and helps not only to safeguard the Earth’s limited natural resources but also to ensure the long-term competitiveness of the industry.

Food Sustainability:FoodDrinkEurope asks the Greek Presidency to facilitate future actions to ensure industry can deliver on its Environmental Sustainability Vision Towards 203010 and respond to environmental challenges. The Vision demonstrates the progress already made by food operators in sustainable sourcing, resource efficiency along the food chain and sustainable consumption and production. It also highlights the opportunities that the EU Green growth agenda presents for the future across several areas. In view of the upcoming Commission Communication on the Sustainability of the Food System, FoodDrinkEurope calls on the Greek Presidency to support a long term strategic approach to food sustainability encompassing the three pillars of sustainability (social, economic, and environmental).

Food Wastage:In an effort to help tackle this major societal problem, FoodDrinkEurope calls on the Greek Presidency to support the implementation of the Joint Declaration on Food Wastage ‘Every Crumb Counts’11, launched in June 2013. Co-signatories of the Joint Declaration include representatives from across Europe’s food supply chain. They pledge not only to work towards preventing edible food waste, but also to promote a life-cycle approach to reducing wastage and to proactively feed into European, national and global solutions and initiatives in this area. Following up on this initiative, FoodDrinkEurope urges the Greek Presidency and EU Member States to support the signatories in their efforts to implement the Joint Declaration commitments.

Climate and Energy Policy:FoodDrinkEurope calls on the Greek Presidency to drive forward discussions on the EU 2030 Framework on Climate and Energy Policy. Food manufacturers seek a long-term

10 http://sustainability.fooddrinkeurope.eu/11 http://everycrumbcounts.eu

legal framework which will encourage investment in the industry.

FoodDrinkEurope encourages the Greek Presidency to play an active role in moving negotiations forward ahead of COP 1912 in November 2013, for an ambitious, binding international agreement to address climate change and food security, and provide incentives for investment while guaranteeing legal certainty for food and drink companies.

Resource efficiency:FoodDrinkEurope asks the Greek Presidency to progress on the implementation of the European Commission’s Roadmap for a Resource Efficient Europe. FoodDrinkEurope is working closely with partners under the multi-stakeholder initiative, the European Food Sustainable Consumption and Production Round Table13. The Round Table, co-chaired by the Commission and food chain partners, has adopted Guiding Principles and reports on voluntary environmental communication tools, on non-environmental aspects of sustainability and on continuous environmental improvement. Following on from the public consultation and pilot testing of the ‘ENVIFOOD Protocol’14, which is a harmonised framework methodology to assess the environmental impact of food products, the Round Table has adopted the final methodology and recommendations on how to voluntarily communicate environmental information. This sector methodology lays the ground for the upcoming Commission Environmental Footprint methodology pilots for food and drink products to be launched in 2014. FoodDrinkEurope asks the Greek Presidency to support the work and future direction of the Round Table.

Moreover, in the context of implementing the Roadmap for a Resource Efficient Europe, the European Commission is preparing a revision of the EU Waste Acquis, including the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. FoodDrinkEurope welcomes this ambition and considers as a priority the proper and harmonised implementation of the current legislative frameworks and encourages the Greek Presidency to support these efforts.

12 19th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 19), in Warsaw, November 2013

13 http://www.food-scp.eu/14 http://www.food-scp.eu/files/consultation4/ENVIFOOD_Protocol_November_2012.

pdf


Facts and figures about Europe’s largest manufacturing industry:

1 ,017 billion

Largest manufacturing sector in the EU (14.9%)

€

23 billion

Trade balance

€4.25 million

Leading employer in the EU (15%)

500 million

consumers in Europe 287,000companies

Exports€ 86.2 billion

Imports€ 63.2 billion

16.1%EU market share of global exports

(20.5% in 2002)


1.9%Value added

% of EU GDP

Consumption

14.5%(% of household expenditure)

49.3%of food and drink turnover

SMEs

63.4%SMEs

of food and drink employment

Purchases and processes

of EU agricultural production

70%

0.53%% of food and drink turnover

R&D

Click on the following link to access the latest figures on our industry:

http://www.fooddrinkeurope.eu/publication/data-trends-of-the-european-food-and-drink-industry/


Members

European Sectors (25)• AIJN–EuropeanFruitJuiceAssociation• CAOBISCO–AssociationofChocolate,BiscuitandConfectioneryIndustriesoftheEuropeanUnion

• CEEREAL–EuropeanBreakfastCerealAssociation• CEFS–EuropeanCommitteeofSugarManufacturers• CLITRAVI–LiaisonCentrefortheMeatProcessingIndustryintheEuropeanUnion

•COFALEC–ConfederationofEUYeastProducers•CULINARIAEUROPE–FederationofAssociationsandEnterprisesofIndustrialCulinaryProductProducersinEurope

•ECF–EuropeanCoffeeFederation•EDA–EuropeanDairyAssociation•EFBW–EuropeanFederationofBottledWaters•EHIA&ETC–EuropeanHerbalInfusionsAssociation&EuropeanTeaCommittee

•ESA–EuropeanSnacksAssociation• ESA–EuropeanSpiceAssociation

•EUPPA–EuropeanPotatoProcessors’Association•EUROGLACES–EuropeanIceCreamAssociation•FEDIAF–EuropeanPetFoodIndustryFederation•FEDIMA–FederationofEUManufacturersandSuppliersofIngredientstotheBakery,ConfectioneryandPatisserieIndustries

• FEEDM–EuropeanFederationofHoneyPackers&Distributors

• IMACE–InternationalMargarineAssociationoftheCountriesofEurope

• PROFEL–EuropeanAssociationofFruitandVegetableProcessors

• SNE–SpecialisedNutritionEurope• SpiritsEUROPE• TheBrewersofEurope•UNAFPA–UnionofOrganisationsofManufacturersofPastaProductsoftheEU

•UNESDA–UnionofEuropeanSoftDrinksAssociations

National Federations (26 including 3 observers)• ANIA–AssociationNationaledesIndustriesAlimentaires•BLL&BVE–BundfürLebensmittelrechtundLebensmittelkunde&BundesvereinigungderDeutschenErnährungsindustrie•DI–DIFødevarer•ÉFOSZ–Élelmiszer-feldolgozókOrszágosSzövetsége•ETL–EestiToiduainetööstuseLiit•ETL–Elintarviketeollisuusliitto•FDF–FoodandDrinkFederation•FDII–FoodandDrinkIndustryIreland•FEDERALIMENTARE–FederazioneItalianadell’IndustriaAlimentare•FEDIL–FédérationdesIndustriesAgro-AlimentairesLuxembourgeoises•FEVIA–Fédérationdel’IndustrieAlimentaire/FederatieVoedingsindustrie•FIAA–FachverbandderNahrungs-undGenussmittelindustrie•FIAB–FederaciónEspañoladeIndustriasdelaAlimentaciónyBebidas•FIPA–FederaçâodasIndústriasPortuguesasAgro-Alimentares•FNLI–FederatieNederlandseLevensmiddelenIndustrie•GZS–GospodarskazbornicaSlovenije•HUP–HrvatskaUdrugaPoslodavaca•LI–Livsmedelsföretagen•PFPZ–PolskaFederacjaProducentówZywnosciZwiazekPracodawców•PKCR–PotravinárskákomoraCeskéRepubliky•PKS&SPPK–PotravinárskaKomoraSlovenska&SlovenskáPol’nohospodárskaaPotravinárskaKomora•ROMALIMENTA–FederatiaPatronaladinIndustriaAlimentara•SEVT–FederationofHellenicFoodIndustries•NHO–MatogDrikke(observer)•TGDF–TürkiyeGıdaveiçecekSanayiiDernekleriFederasyonu(observer)•BalticFoodUnion(observer)


observers•

BFU* – Балтийский пищевой Союз

• NHO – Mat og Drikke •

TGDF – Türkiye Gıda ve içecek Sanayii Dernekleri Federasyonu

• SEVT

• ANIA

• BLL & BVEBFU

• PFPZ

• FIAA • ÉFOSZ

• PKS & SPPK

• FEVIA • FNLI

• FEDIL• PKCR

• ETL• ETL

• LI

• DI• FDII

•NHO

•HUP

• TGDF

• FDF

• GZS

• ROMALIMENTA

• FIPA • FIABFEDERALIMENTARE •

* BFU includes members from Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Companies (17)• AGROKOR

•CARGILL

• COCA-COLA

• DANONE

• FERRERO

•GENERALMILLS

• HEINEKEN

• HEINZ

• KELLOGG

•MARS

•MONDELĒZINTERNATIONAL

• NESTLÉ

• PEPSICO

• SÜDZUCKER

• TATE&LYLE

• ÜLKER

• UNILEVER

Av. des Nerviens 9-31 - 1040 Brussels - BELGIUMTel. +32 2 514 11 11 - Fax. +32 2 511 29 [email protected] - www.fooddrinkeurope.eu

President Jesús Serafín Pérez

Director General Mella Frewen

Deputy Director General/Consumer Information, Diet and Health Dirk Jacobs, Director

Economic Affairs Roxane Feller, Director

Environmental Sustainability Tove Larsson, Director

Food Policy, Science and R&D Beate Kettlitz, Director

Communications Fintan Hastings & Eleni Giannakaki

Office Manager Régine Mynsberghe

For more informationon FoodDrinkEurope

PRIORITIES FOR THE GREEK PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN …€¦ · For more information...

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