Wheat farm – Photo by Karol Wisniewski from Pexels
(BRUSSELS) – In the light of the war in Ukraine, the EU Commission presented plans Wednesday to combat rising food prices with actions to enhance global food security and to support farmers and consumers in the EU.
With a surge in global commodity prices accelerated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, they aim to make EU agriculture and food supply chains more resilient and sustainable.
As a net food exporter and top agri-food producer, the EU is a key contributor to global food security, particularly in Ukraine, North Africa and the Middle East, which largely rely on imports of cereals, as well as in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. It is also a lead provider of humanitarian and development assistance on food and food systems.
“Our first priority is to make sure that Ukrainians have enough food, fuel and water,” said Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski: “We will also help them to continue planting and growing cereals and oilseeds, much needed for themselves and for the world and facilitate their exports.”
Food security in war-torn Ukraine is of greatest concern, particularly in besieged cities, with Russia seemingly deliberately targeting and destroying food storage locations. The EU is supporting Ukraine in developing and implementing a short and medium term food security strategy to ensure that inputs reach farms where possible, and that transportation and storage facilities are maintained to enable Ukraine to feed its citizens and to eventually regain its export markets.
An EU Emergency Support Programme of EUR 330 million for Ukraine will help to secure access to basic goods and services, as well as protection of the population. The programme seeks to help alleviate the suffering of Ukrainians by securing access to basic goods and services as well as their protection. Another important goal will be to reconstruct civilian small-scale infrastructure, strategic planning as well as ensuring energy security.
In the 2021-27 programme for international cooperation, the EU will work on developing the sustainability of food systems with about 70 partner countries.
The EU continues to strongly advocate to avoid export restrictions and export bans on food and for a well-functioning single market.
This crisis confirms a need to accelerate globally the food system transition towards sustainability and resilience to better prepare for future crises. As a follow-up to the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, the Commission will engage in eight coalitions that all aim at food system transformation, resilience and sustainable productivity growth.
To improve affordability of food, Member States may also implement reduced rates of Value Added Tax and encourage economic operators to contain retail prices. Member States can also draw from EU funds such as the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) which supports EU countries’ actions to provide food and/or basic material assistance to the most vulnerable.
To fulfil its role as a global food provider that continues to be fully engaged in the environmental transition, the Commission has adopted the following measures:
- A support package of 500 million, including by making use of the crisis reserve, to support the producers most affected by the serious consequences of the war in Ukraine. On this basis, Member States could provide additional financial support to farmers to contribute to global food security, or address market disturbances due to increased input costs or trade restrictions. Support for farmers engaged in sustainable practices should be prioritised, whilst also ensuring that the measures target the sectors and farmers who are the hardest hit by the crisis.
- More advances of direct payments, as well as area- and animal-related rural development measures, to farmers as of 16 October 2022.
- Market safety-net measures to support the pigmeat market in view of the particularly difficult situation of the sector.
- An exceptional and temporary derogation to allow the production of any crops for food and feed purposes on fallow land, while maintaining the full level of the greening payment for farmers. This will enlarge the EU’s production capacity in spite of the limited availability of fertile land.
- Specific temporary flexibilities to existing import requirements on animal feed will contribute to alleviating the pressure on the feed market.
The Commission is also proposing a new, self-standing Temporary Crisis Framework that also covers farmers, fertiliser producers and the fisheries sector. This allows state aid to farmers affected by significant increases in input costs. Fertiliser prices and supplies for farmers will be monitored to ensure that the prospects for EU harvests are not jeopardised.
Communication on safeguarding food security and reinforcing the resilience of food systems
Annex on safeguarding food security and reinforcing the resilience of food systems
Q&A on the measures adopted by the European Commission
Factsheet on measures to safeguard food security and support EU farmers
