Every day, Slow Food Europe advocates for Good, Clean and Fair Food for All on the EU stage!

2022 saw a terrible tragedy unfold: the war in Ukraine. In addition to being a humanitarian catastrophe on the ground, the conflict has had strong repercussions on food security which have hit the world hard, Europe included. As a result, industrial farm lobbies, a number of conservative MEPs, and agri-business firms have ramped up their attacks against the EU’s plan for sustainable food systems. Their goal? Using the war in Ukraine and its economic consequences to tear down the EU Farm to Fork Strategy as well as any environmental measures that would help Europe become resilient on the long term.

Slow Food and many other organisations in Brussels and across Europe, have worked hard throughout the year to counter their scaremongering, toxic narrative, and to ensure that the European Union delivers on its promises for a more sustainable food system.

Pesticides, new GMOs, food security, our fights were many this year! If you’ve missed some of it, this 2022 recap is for you!

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FEBRUARY

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Why Attacks Against the EU Farm to Fork Strategy Completely Miss the Point

Since its release, the EU Farm to Fork Strategy has been repeatedly attacked and questioned by industrial farm lobbies, a number of conservative MEPs, and agri-business firms, which the publication of two controversial “impact studies” has only kept fueling. But what they always omit to say, is that these studies are partial and incomplete.

• Read our article

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MARCH

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Civil Society Protests Against Agribusiness Greenwashing Over EU Food Policies

In March, Slow Food joined other civil society and farmers’ organizations to protest against the Forum for the Future of Agriculture (FFA), a greenwashing event to strengthen the influence of the chemical and agri-food industry in the design of public policies. Our call? European decision makers must listen to science and citizens, not the agribusiness.

• Read our article

The Farm to Fork Strategy is the Future of the EU Food System

Since the war broke out in Ukraine, industrial lobby groups & conservative policy-makers have instrumentalized it to try rolling back the EU Farm to Fork Strategy. Yet, the Strategy is the only way to preserve Europe’s natural environment and the health of its citizens. We must defend and implement it!

• Read our article

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APRIL

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Carlo Petrini and Olivier de Schutter Discuss the Future of Food in Europe

On March 31, Slow Food Europe and IPES-Food hosted their first in-person event in Brussels since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out: a dialogue between Carlo Petrini, president of Slow Food, and Olivier de Schutter, co-chair of IPES-Food: “COVID-19, the war in Ukraine and rising food prices: how can we transform food systems in the face of constant crises?”

• Read our recap

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MAY

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“Pesticide Check Up” Campaign : 10 Key Facts on Pesticides

Last May, the Good Food Good Farming coalition launched the “Pesticide Check Up” campaign, to raise awareness about the risks and dangers of pesticides and to put pressure on European policy makers to commit to a drastic reduction of pesticides. As pesticides have been high on Europe’s agenda this year, time to recall the facts on these toxic chemicals.

• Discover our 10 Key Facts on Pesticides
• Learn more about the campaign

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JUNE

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Glyphosate Has No Place in the Future of EU Agriculture

Glyphosate continues to be subject of much controversy, and the sensitive debates surrounding the process of renewal of its license in Europe are turbulent. We took a closer look at the latest policy developments and scientific findings regarding the most widely used weedkiller.

• Read our analysis

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SEPTEMBER

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Turin, Milan, London, Grenoble, Ostenda and Rome: EU Cities share experiences of Urban Food Policy at Terra Madre Salone del Gusto

Last September, members of the “Food Trails” coalition, Slow Food included, and urban food policy experts gathered at Terra Madre 2022, to discuss food resilience, sustainability and quality in cities.

• What they said

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OCTOBER

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Seven Propositions For Better Food in EU Public Canteens

The European Food Policy Coalition, of which Slow Food is an active member, launched its Farm to Fork Procurement Manifesto with seven actionable propositions for establishing minimum standards for public canteens in Europe, targeted at the European Commission and the EU Member States as well as regional and local public authorities.

• Read the Manifesto

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NOVEMBER

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The Slow Food Network Mobilizes Against Pesticides Across Europe

During the month of October, Slow Food joined the 2022 European Days of Action for “Good Food Good Farming” that were dedicated to raising awareness about pesticides: several local Slow Food groups joined other European organizations and organized events across Europe, from France and the Netherlands to Croatia and Greece, to promote agrobiodiversity and raise awareness about the need to shift to a pesticide-free agriculture.

• Check out what the Slow Food network did
• More information on the Good Food Good Farming “October Month of Actions”

Busting the Myths on New GMOs

As the European Union is preparing to decide on whether and how to deregulate new GMOs, we looked at the most frequent claims made by the biotechnology and seed industry to promote new GMOs and their deregulation. Spoiler: they’re misleading, if not deceptive.

• Discover our Mythbuster!

Slow Food and “Save Bees and Farmers” meet with European Commissioners to Ask for a Pesticide-Free Europe

On November 25, the European Citizens Initiative (ECI) “Save Bees and Farmers” entered a new stage, as its representatives, Slow Food included, were received by European Commissioners Věra Jourová (Values and Transparency) and Stella Kyriakides (Health and Food Safety), to formally present their demands backed by over 1,1 million EU citizens: 

• Learn more about what happened
• More information on the European Citizens Initiative “Save Bees and Farmers”