Food policy only works when the entire food system is part of the conversation.
At the launch of the first EU Food Dialogue, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen highlighted the importance of engaging all actors across the food chain.
At ๐๐๐๐๐ โ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, we couldnโt agree more. The European margarine and spreads sector is a key part of Europeโs food ecosystem, helping deliver ๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐, ๐ง๐ฎ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐จ 450 ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฒ.
We therefore welcome the Commissionโs commitment to strengthening dialogue with stakeholders. But as Commissioner Hansen also said: โ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง. ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ ๐. ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐๐ญ.โ
Turning dialogue into action means creating the right conditions for Europeโs food value chain to remain competitive and resilient. This includes:
โข ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฌ๐๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ง๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
Food regulation must remain evidence-based and avoid ideology-driven approaches that risk undermining reformulation and innovation across the food sector.
โข๐ ๐ ๐๐ง๐ฎ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฌ
Plant-based fats such as margarine deliver strong environmental and health outcomes, yet EU policies still structurally favour animal-derived fats. Ensuring fair comparison across categories will support both innovation and informed consumer choice.
โข ๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง/๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ง
A resilient food system requires strong European farmers and Food Manufacturers. At the same time, Europe is not self-sufficient in many key ingredients and must maintain ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ง, ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐ฌ to secure sustainable supply chains.
โข ๐๐๐๐จ๐ ๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ญ
Food security, competitiveness and resilience are now geopolitical priorities. Strengthening Europeโs food value chains is essential for long-term stability.
โ
The first EU Food Dialogue is an encouraging start. We look forward to continuing the conversation and working together to ensure Europeโs food system remains ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐, ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐-๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐จ๐.