A serious step backwards

Dr Jeanette Fielding, Chief Corporate Affairs and Communications Officer at Upfield makes an important point:

Food policy should be formed in the interests of consumers, environment and health. This amendment goes against all three.

Making it illegal to name, package and depict plant-based foods in the way we have done for over 100 years is a serious step backwards. Consumers are looking for strong EU leadership on climate and environment. That means tearing down bureaucratic barriers to sustainable and healthy eating, not building them higher.

Jasmijn de Boo, Vice President of ProVeg International, told us: It is baffling to once again be forced to justify sustainability. Why would we sabotage innovation? Who will benefit?

Green energy is no longer being stifled or opposed, so why are we still suppressing and censoring sustainable food production, given the urgency of the situation? Who stands to lose here? We need to adapt across every part of our food chain if were to tackle the climate crisis. Genuinely sustainable food production must be enabled.

How will we reach our climate goals if we allow the influence of powerful but unsustainable industries to determine our collective fate?

Although the amendment was voted in by MEPs, it is not set in stone. The next step is trilogue negotiations, which involves a conversation between the European Parliament, the EU Council of Ministers and the European Commission.

The European Commission is likely to reject the amendment based on previous voting records, and if we can get the EU Council of Ministers on side, there is hope for the plant-based sector yet.

Moreover, the amendment was passed with such a narrow majority (54%) that we hope there is enough doubt cast on the matter for the amendment to be ditched.

You can join the fight and sign the petition to stop amendment 171 here.

Do you think the climate crisis has been forgotten during the pandemic? Read our article to find out.

Continue reading here:

Oatly launches petition to stop plant-based censorship on vegan dairy alternatives - Vegan Food and Living