Shaping Europe’s food future requires science-based policies that protect health, empower consumers, and support sustainable production. Eat Europe will discuss these priorities and launch its vision at a high-level event in the European Parliament on 3 December, hosted by MEP Herranz Garcia, with the participation of EU Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Várhelyi.

The coming days and weeks will be pivotal for the future of Europe’s food system, as several major EU policy dossiers are set to advance simultaneously.

Alongside the presentation of the EU Cardiovascular Health Plan, policymakers will review the Food Safety Legislation Simplification Package and the first elements of the Biotech Act, while entering crucial trilogue negotiations on the Common Market Organisation (CMO) and NGTs.

Eat Europe views the forthcoming EU Cardiovascular Health Plan as a cornerstone of Europe’s long-term health strategy. For this initiative to go in the right and desired direction, we strongly believe that the Strategy should highlight the importance of traditional dietary models as both a scientific and cultural reference for prevention. It is more than a nutritional framework: it reflects Europe’s identity, bringing together health, heritage, sustainability, and community wellbeing.

Furthermore, Eat Europe fully supports efforts to address the growing consumption of ultra-processed foods, especially among young people, through education, marketing restrictions, and greater transparency — all while avoiding oversimplified approaches. This is not only a public health priority, but also an economic and social one: reducing future incidence of obesity, diabetes, and CVD will relieve pressure on healthcare systems and strengthen the EU’s long-term resilience. But a serious and scientific assessment is needed to start working on defining in the best way possible what products have to be considered ultra-processed based on the level of processing of a product, focusing on ingredients and additives.

At the same time, it is essential to promote — not penalise — a balanced and nuanced approach that avoids the demonisation of traditional, high-quality foods. Encouraging responsible consumption within a healthy lifestyle is key. These products are not threats; they are integral components of a well-rounded European diet.

By integrating effective prevention with the valorisation of Europe’s diverse food traditions, we can build a healthier, more equitable, and more resilient Europe — protecting citizens’ wellbeing while preserving our agricultural and cultural heritage.

Regarding other policy areas, CMO negotiations will address sensitive issues such as improving the functioning of the EU food chain, overcoming the longstanding vulnerability of the farming sector, clarifying contractual relationships, and ensuring a mandatory approach to origin labelling — all crucial for transparency, consumer trust, and fair competition across the Single Market.

In a context where marketing practices increasingly blur the line between traditional animal-based products and their plant-based or lab-grown imitations, we call for the swift adoption of a comprehensive and robust framework for the protection of meat product denominations. Key terms such as burger, sausage, and steak are among the most commonly misused in the promotion of imitation products. Words matter. Clear and honest labelling is not just a marketing question — it is essential for public health, consumer trust, and fair competition.

Taken together, these files will decisively shape how Europe protects public health, empowers consumers, and guarantees the long-term sustainability of its food production systems, both in terms of socio-economic resilience and environmental protection.

As these debates unfold, Eat Europe reaffirms its readiness to provide constructive, science-based input—as it has consistently done to date—with one overarching commitment: safeguarding citizens’ health while ensuring the sustainable economic viability of EU food producers.

Eat Europe underlines that science must remain the cornerstone of EU food policy, but always in service of consumers and the public interest, not of a restricted group of dominant market players, avoiding short-cutting approach when it comes to new products assessment and authorisations. This principle will guide its engagement across all upcoming legislative processes, from food labelling to biotechnology and risk assessment reforms.

To help frame these critical policy developments and offer an inclusive platform for dialogue, Eat Europe will host a high-level event in the European Parliament: A New Pact Between Producers and Consumers, on the 3^rd of December 2025, hosted by MEP Esther Herranz García (EPP, Spain) and with the participation of the EU Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, Olivér Várhelyi.

This event will mark the official launch of Eat Europe in the European Parliament. It will feature the presentation of a new comparative study assessing the state of food sustainability across the EU, and bring together institutional representatives, academic experts, and agri-food stakeholders.

Discussions will explore what Eat Europe proposes as a renewed value-chain approach to sustainability, forging a new pact between producers and consumers—built on transparency, scientific integrity, and a long-term vision for a healthy and sustainable European food system. Register here.

For further information, please contact: info@eat-europe.eu