EU Vision? Blind Spot!

The text was sent out on 24/02/2025 via newsletter by Suzy Sumner, Head of the Brussels Office.

Remember the farmers' protests of 2024? In the months that followed, organisations from across the agri-food sector came together in the Strategic Dialogue, working to find common ground. This effort resulted in a consensus document. 

Now, on February 19, 2025, the European Commission has finally responded by releasing its Vision for Agriculture and Food. This so-called "vision" is the next step—turning months of debate into a roadmap for action for the next five years.  

So, what can European consumers hope for? Given the rise of non-communicable diseases across EU countries, even for kids, and the burden on our public health services, does the von der Leyen Commission 2.0 have a clear vision on how to fix our broken food system? The unequivocal answer is no. 

Let’s rewind quickly to 2020 – von der Leyen 1.0 and the launch of the Farm to Fork strategy. It included a regulation on the sustainable use of pesticides, improvements to the food information to consumers legislation including a mandatory and harmonised front-of-pack nutritional label, a focus on the food environment around us through a proposal on sustainable food systems. 

Not one of these promised regulations actually became reality. 

Five years on, we have a worsening health situation across the EU, farmers are still locked into pesticide use, and member states have waited five years for a non-existent proposal to put a traffic light label on food. What does the Commission deliver now? A ‘lack of’ vision for agriculture and food – with one mention of nutrition, no legislation or money behind the measures, and a large leap back from the Farm to Fork days, and even from the  compromises reached in the strategic dialogue.  

So what is in there on key issues for foodwatch campaigns? 

• Reducing pesticides in the EU – the Commission is stating that whether a pesticide is banned depends on whether there is an alternative. This is a dangerous approach. A pesticide must be banned when it is toxic to health and the environment. 
• Stop exporting pesticides banned in the EU – in an earlier leaked version of the vision there was a promise to act on this issue – in the end they will only launch an impact assessment to see what is feasible! 
• A harmonised, mandatory Nutri-Score – not one simple tool to help consumers understand the nutritional quality of their food is included.  
• End marketing of junk food to kids – the vision includes some words “advance with Member States the work on monitoring the effects of certain advertising and marketing practices of food. In particular, the impact on the health and well-being of the most vulnerable groups of consumers, such as children, should be investigated.” But falls short of any clear measure. What is clear is that voluntary measures like the EU pledge do not work. 
• Additives and Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) – there is a recognition that EFSA is under-resourced for getting pesticides approved, but not for checking on the safety of additives in food. Aspartame is still approved by the EU despite being potentially carcinogenic. There is however a study to be undertaken on the health effects of UPFs – we can only hope it is independent and scientific. 

Fundamental issue is the narrative that legislation is a burden. In reality, it is essential to protect public health and safety from corporate profiteering. Voluntary measures have repeatedly failed.  

Why does industry even have a voice in these decisions? Why do the multinational corporations behind chemical pesticides like Glyphosate get a seat at the table? Why are their meetings with high-level officials and politicians accepted? Now, a new vision introduces more bodies and forums—and we can be sure BigFood and BigAgri will be everywhere.  

• At foodwatch, we don’t just wait for the Commission to act. Our response is a rallying call to Member States:  the EU will not deliver, Member States need to go ahead and implement the Nutri-Score at national level.   
• We will continue to put pressure on retailers to change the offer in the supermarkets – reduce products with pesticides, label with Nutri-Score. 
• We continue with our work to stop contamination of our food with toxic mineral oils – we do not need the vision for that. 
• And we will not hesitate to go to court, appeal to the Ombudsman, whatever we can do to fight for healthy, safe and sustainable food for all. 

At least now we are not waiting – we know that very little will come from this Commission.

• EU Commission: Vision for Agriculture and Food, 19 February 2025
• EU Commission: Main initiatives: Strategic Dialogue on the future of EU agriculture, January 2024
• Open letter to Commissioner Christophe Hansen