Why the EU Needs an Action Plan for Plant-Based Foods

23 Jan 2025

A coalition of organizations, including Slow Food, is calling for the EU to adopt an Action Plan for Plant-Based Foods, to help cut agriculture’s emissions, boost farmer resilience, and promote healthier diets across Europe.

Slow Food is calling for the EU to adopt an Action Plan for Plant-Based Foods, to cut agriculture's emissions and promote healthier diets.

As consumer demand for sustainable and healthy food grows, the EU has a unique opportunity to lead the way in building a more resilient, competitive, and climate-friendly agri-food system. A key part of this transition is supporting the production and consumption of plant-based foods.

A coalition of experts and organizations, Slow Food included, is calling on the European Commission to develop an EU Action Plan for Plant-Based Foods by 2026. This plan would strengthen plant-based food supply chains, create opportunities for farmers, and make sustainable diets more accessible to all.

Why It Matters:

  • Boosting EU food sovereignty– The EU currently imports 66% of its high-protein feed, exposing farmers to global price fluctuations. Increasing plant-protein production for direct human consumption could close this gap and improve food sovereignty.
  • New opportunities for farmers – Diversifying into plant-based protein crops could increase profit margins and reduce costs, as nitrogen-fixing legumes improve soil fertility and lower dependence on synthetic fertilizers.
  • Better health outcomes – 80% of Europeans don’t eat enough whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. Poor diets contribute to €900 billion in healthcare costs annually. Encouraging more plant-based diets could prevent 130,000 avoidable deaths each year.
  • Climate and environmental benefits – Producing plant-based proteins for human consumption is 75% more land-efficient than using crops for animal feed. Legumes also naturally enrich the soil, reducing the need for fertilizers and improving long-term soil health.
  • Lower costs for society – The external costs of animal-based food production and consumption in the EU—linked to health, climate, and environmental damage—are estimated at €3 trillion per year. A shift toward healthier, plant-rich diets could save €1.3 trillion annually, nearly 20 times the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budget.

With some EU countries already taking steps in this direction, a coordinated EU-wide approach is needed to ensure policy coherence and support both farmers and consumers. Now is the time to align agricultural policies with health, climate, and sustainability goals.

 

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