Policy Engagement Overview
The aggregated evidence of corporate and industry lobbying on the Sustainable Food Systems Framework proposal shows intense, negative engagement from the meat and dairy producer sector – particularly industry associations, despite some positive positions from consumer staples companies.
Long-term Lobbying Trends
Consumer staples companies supported the need for the transition of diets including Danone, Unilever and Nestlé, but Unilever and Nestlé advocated for ‘realistic’ minimum sustainability requirements for food products.
The meat and dairy producer sector emphasized the economic and food security impacts of the framework including Arla Foods, Copa-Cogeca and the European Dairy Association (EDA). Associations also stressed the impacts on rural communities, including the EDA, UECBV and Copa-Cogeca
Industry associations suggested meat and dairy systems should be supported in the Sustainable Food Systems Framework including FoodDrinkEurope, EDA, and European Livestock and Meat Trades Union (UECBV), while stressing the importance of meat and dairy for human health. UECBV also stated that the livestock and meat sector is compatible with sustainability.
Following a leak of the EU Commission proposal reported by Euractiv in March 2023, industry associations including Copa-Cogeca, UECBV, and EuroCommerce sent a letter to EU Commissioners supporting a regulatory framework for sustainable food systems, but advocating for the Framework “to take into account the diversity of processes and products,” appearing to not support incentivizing consumption of some more sustainable food products over others.
Impacts on Policy Ambition
Following intense advocacy from the meat and dairy producer sector, the March 2023 EU Commission leaked draft proposal included language which mirrors industry narratives such as the need to address the economic and social pillars of sustainability, and emphasizing the potential impacts from the policy on food security.
An intense corporate campaign against agricultural policy to reduce emissions from European food systems appears to have led to the flagship policy of the Farm to Fork Strategy stalling in the EU Commission.
