Call for EU Action to Create a Sustainable and Healthy Food System

ProVeg International is a notable contributor to this initiative, which is grounded in the scientific framework provided by the EAT-Lancet Commission. The Action Brief outlines six critical areas for EU policy intervention, emphasizing sustainable production, healthier consumption, public procurement practices, food waste reduction, research enhancement, and trade improvements.

Lucia Hortelano, senior EU policy manager at ProVeg International, discussed the importance of this initiative and the crucial policy changes needed to transform Europe's food landscape. She emphasized the need for an overarching EU Action Plan aimed at creating a healthy, sustainable, and just food system. This plan would require clear accountability across various EU directorates, integrated goals, voluntary targets for measuring progress, and a budget dedicated to improving production, consumption, processing, and food loss reduction.

The Action Brief particularly highlights public procurement, which has seen strong consensus among stakeholders. It aligns with the European Commission’s proposal for a new Public Procurement Act expected on September 9, 2026. The brief advocates for procurement criteria rooted in Planetary Health Diet principles while allowing flexibility for different national and local contexts.

Additionally, the brief calls for EU guidance to align tax incentives, suggesting reduced or zero VAT on healthy food items such as fruits, vegetables, and legumes. It also proposes equal VAT treatment for plant-based alternatives compared to animal-based products. These changes could lead to more predictable long-term demand for food and beverage businesses and help rectify price distortions that hinder industry scaling and reformulation.

Building consensus is evident in the areas like public procurement, cross-industry collaboration, and support for farmers transitioning to diverse crop rotations. While the brief identifies shared goals, it also acknowledges areas of disagreement, such as front-of-pack labeling guidelines and the extent of advertising restrictions on unhealthy food products.

Hortelano noted that fiscal measures are a priority, particularly the alignment of VAT rates to prevent penalizing plant-based products. The brief outlines the need for greater financial support for farmers to cultivate diverse crops and calls for funding dedicated to agricultural innovation.

Changes in procurement rules could create substantial opportunities for food manufacturers and service providers. Incorporating sustainable, plant-rich meal criteria into EU procurement could lead to stable contracts for foodservice operators and allow suppliers to scale production effectively.

The brief also advocates for clearer labeling practices and stricter advertising regulations, stressing that harmonization is key to reducing costs and creating a unified market across the EU. Currently, uneven regulations result in complexities that hinder business operations.

In terms of barriers to scaling healthier food options, Hortelano pointed to unfavorable tax conditions, processing capacity limitations, and slow approval times for new food products under EU regulations, which inhibit market entry for innovative alternatives.

Looking ahead, the brief emphasizes the need for investment in research and development for plant-based innovations and processing technologies, encouraging EU funding to target plant protein crop cultivation and climate resilience.

Success over the next five years would entail a notable increase in plant protein production and consumption in Europe, standardized VAT rates that make healthy foods affordable, consistent offering of plant-rich meals in public institutions, and a streamlined regulatory environment that supports innovation and reduces diet-related health issues.