Farmers and food producers call for strong EU position against risks related to UPFs as negotiations begin

Ahead of the fourth High-Level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health, and the day of the start of the first round of negotiations, Eat Europe representing EU farmers and food producers has issued a formal appeal to the European Commission, urging it to adopt a firm stance on the role of ultra-processed foods in the global rise of chronic diseases.
In a letter addressed to European Commissioner for Animal Health and Welfare, Mr Olivér Várhelyi, and European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Mr Christophe Hansen, Eat Europe calls on the EU to explicitly support dietary approaches rooted in sustainable, minimally processed, and locally sourced foods—while resisting broad policy language that fails to distinguish between traditional processed foods and harmful ultra-processed products.
“Scientific evidence, including data from the World Health Organization, has shown a clear link between the regular consumption of ultra-processed foods and a rise in metabolic conditions like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases,” said Luigi Scordamaglia, President of Eat Europe. “Yet both the UN’s Zero Draft and the EU Non-Paper fall short in addressing these products specifically. This is a missed opportunity that could jeopardise public health and the future of traditional European food systems.”
Eat Europe is particularly concerned by point 27(d) of the UN’s Zero Draft, which lumps all “processed products” together, risking unintended damage to time-honoured agri-food systems such as the Mediterranean Diet, recently recognised again for its role in supporting health and longevity. The group is calling for a revision to replace the generic “processed products” with the more accurate and scientifically supported term “ultra-processed foods.”
The letter also warns against blanket regulatory approaches—such as uniform labelling systems or taxation on alcoholic beverages—that fail to account for moderate and culturally integrated consumption patterns that value the quality of the products, as well as the distinction between abuse and moderate consumption. Such measures could unfairly disadvantage small producers
and traditional foods while failing to reduce the health risks posed by highly industrialised, heavily marketed food products.
“Without clearly distinguishing between food that sustains culture and health, and food that undermines it, we risk weakening Europe’s food sovereignty and losing public trust in health policies,” Scordamaglia added.
The signatories are urging the Commission to ensure that the EU delegation and National Governments in the negotiations towards the UN summit on 25 September 2025 explicitly supports:

● A clear distinction between ultra-processed and traditionally processed foods;
● Policies that promote healthy procurement standards in schools and public institutions;
● Protection of traditional food systems and moderate consumption patterns rooted in heritage.

The organisations reaffirmed their commitment to contributing constructively to EU policy development and to defending both public health and Europe’s sustainable agri-food heritage.