Freshfel Europe this week submitted its contribution to the European Commission’s public consultation on the EU agricultural promotion policy inside and outside of the European Union.
In a 10-page response, Freshfel Europe recommends boosting the efficiency, coherence and EU added value of the promotion policy on the EU internal market and third-country markets to better inform and promote the benefits of European sustainable production and consumption of fresh produce.
“Promoting fresh produce on the EU market remains of paramount importance to secure a healthy diet with multiple benefits for the environment and for the health of European citizens. Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption is a response to both the current environmental and health crises we face today,” said Freshfel Europe General Delegate Philippe Binard. “In doing so, the EU promotion policy must secure a holistic approach and an all-encompassing policy to cover products in the most generic way and target the largest possible scope of consumers.”
Freshfel Europe says stronger promotion policy for fresh fruit and vegetables is needed that can be a tool for successful EU fresh produce promotion as policy momentum shifts under the European Green Deal and Farm to Fork Strategy as well as societal demand.
The average EU per capita fruit and vegetable consumption still stands at 363g per day, well below the WHO recommended minimum of 400g per day for good health.
Freshfel Europe wants a dedicated budget for fruit and vegetables equivalent to the level of support that can aid European citizens in reaching a healthy and sustainable diet and sustain competitiveness of EU fresh produce globally.
“Securing a dynamic, efficient, and well-targeted promotion policy on the external market is a strategic approach to sustain competitiveness of EU fruit and vegetables globally,” Binard said. “Promotional and information activities should cover a wide range of options from B2B, B2C and pre-competitive political marketing activities to open new markets and raise awareness of the strengths of EU production methods and their high quality and taste assets”.
Freshfel Europe is also calling for simplification of the administrative burden for running promotion programmes under the policy to ensure greater efficiency and a more homogeneous application of the policy across the EU.
