At a glance: the new Eurobarometer survey finds that Europeans want greater EU protection and unity; Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement on digital driving licences and stricter rules for new drivers; members of the Committee on Development will attend the Nutrition for Growth summit in Paris.

News in Brief – 26/03/2025 - English

Diets tailored to our individual characteristics could bring about health benefits but require data on our most personal features, such as our DNA. The promises are many, but so are open questions about the interactions between genes, nutrients, environment and health, and the role of socioeconomic factors behind our food choices. Governance of precision nutrition advice, services and products will include various legislation and policies because of its position between lifestyle and health, or food and medicine.

EPRS Science and Technology Podcast Podcast - What if algorithms decided what we should eat by looking at our DNA?

At least one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the UN will be missed in 2030 – SDG 2 – 'zero hunger'. Hunger and malnutrition are rising dramatically across the world, a trend aggravated by the pandemic. In 2020, 811 million people in the world were facing hunger, the highest level since 2014. In the EU itself, considered one of the most food-secure regions in the world, nearly 7 million people were already experiencing severe food insecurity before the pandemic, and malnutrition is on the rise. SDG 2 aims not only at achieving food security but also at improving nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture. These objectives have been mainstreamed in the recently reformed common agricultural policy and the 'farm to fork' and biodiversity strategies.

EPRS podcast - Policy: SDG 2 – zero hunger and EU action against hunger and malnutrition

To help consumers to make healthier food choices, the European Commission wants producers of foods and drinks to display clear nutritional information on the front-of-pack. But this may not be so simple… Some Member States have already introduced their own labelling schemes to mark “healthy” products but will the EU win the battle at European scale?

EPRS policy podcast - Nutrition labelling schemes used in Member States

The EU wants to make sure that parents can find the most suitable nutrition for their children. Here are three ways it helps to do this

This is what Europe does for parents concerned about baby nutrition

Launched on 20 May 2020, the 'Farm to Fork' strategy put forward the EU’s ambition for making its food system a model of sustainability at all stages of the food value chain.

This strategy is at the heart of the Green Deal. It addresses comprehensively the challenges of sustainable food systems and recognises the inextricable links between healthy people, healthy societies and a healthy planet. Ensuring a sustainable livelihood for primary producers, who still lag behind in terms of income, is essential for the success of the recovery and the transition.

The Farm to Fork strategy aims to accelerate our transition to a sustainable food system that should have neutral and positive environmental impact, help mitigate climate change and adapt to its impact. It should also reverse the loss of biodiversity, ensure food security, nutrition and public health, making sure that everyone has access to sufficient, safe nutritious, sustainable food, preserve affordability of food while generating fairer economic returns, fostering competitivness of the EU supply sector and promoting fair trade.

A shift to a sustainable food system can bring environmental, health and social benefits, offer economic gains and ensure that the recovery from the crisis puts us onto a sustainable path.

Farm to fork

The European Parliament works to ensure that its legislative and non-legislative work respects, promotes and safeguards the rights of the child and advances children’s lives both within the EU and in relation to the outside world.

The EU school fruit, vegetable and milk scheme lasts throughout the school year in the participating EU countries.

Aimed at promoting healthy eating habits among children, the EU school scheme includes the distribution of fruit, vegetables and milk products, as well as dedicated educational programmes to teach pupils about the importance of good nutrition and to explain how food is produced.

#EUelections2019 - Children’s rights

Seminar ' Does the Nutri-score meet today's challenges? '

Politics Meets Nutrition Science. Roundtable on Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling.  EVENT HOSTED BY VICE PRESIDENT HON. PINA PICIERNO AND THE ITALIAN DELEGATIONS OF THE POLITICAL GROUPS OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Opening of the sitting

Announcement of voting results: see Minutes

Digital Markets Act (debate)

European Year of Youth 2022 (debate)

Resumption of the sitting

Address by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana


Voting session

Composition of Parliament 

Composition of committees and delegations

The situation in Nicaragua (debate)

Situation at the Ukrainian border and in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine (debate)

New orientations for the EU’s humanitarian action

Cooperation on the fight against organised crime in the Western Balkans (debate)

Cooperation on the fight against organised crime in the Western Balkans (continuation of debate)

Implementation of the Kimberley Process Certification scheme (debate)

Outcome of Global Summit Nutrition for Growth (Japan, 7-8 December) and increased food insecurity in developing countries (debate)

European framework for employees' participation rights and the revision of the European Works Council Directive (debate)

Agenda of the next sitting 

Closure of the sitting 

Plenary session

EMAS event  Climate and food: how our nutrition impacts the environment

Joint EP - TED event  A conversation on Strengthening the EU's Leadership in Nutrition

Nutrition Day - Food and Mind

Global goals and EU commitments on nutrition and food security in the world (debate)

DEVE Committee - Public hearing - Food Security and Nutrition as Keys to Human Development

EP Plenary Session - Outcome of Global Summit Nutrition for Growth (Japan, 7-8 December) and increased food insecurity in developing countries

Investing in Nutrition : Partnering for Action

Social Protection - Children adequate nutrition and education

Meeting on Nutrition in Niger with the Nigerian President and the Commissioner for Development and the Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response.

Avoiding food wastage - Expiration date on perishable food - Food Product Dating - Food Product Dates - Food expiration labels - Food expiration dates - Expiration dates on food

Astrid LULLING, Albert DESS et Thierry COSTE

Reunion sur le futur de la PAC et le droit de la plantation. Etiquetage alimentaire et nutritionnel

''Il Gelato Artigianale al Parlamento Europeo'' - Promotional event for homemade ice-cream

MEPs vote on the following subjects: Implementation report on Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods - Metz; Protection of the European Union’s financial interests - combating fraud - annual report 2022 - Grapini; Shaping the EU’s position on the UN binding instrument on business and human rights, in particular on access to remedy and the protection of victims - Hautala; Impact of illegal fishing on food security – the role of the European Union - Melo;

Voting Session - Part 1

Parliament discuss on a draft resolution calling for more funds for the EU school scheme for fruit, vegetables and milk and for the distribution of unprocessed, organic and local products. The draft text also urges for less bureaucracy, longer contracts for schools and easier procurement procedures as well as for member states to invest at least 10% of their yearly budget allocated to the school scheme in nutrition education. Opening statements by Carmen AVRAM (S&D, RO) and Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market.

School's scheme for fruit, vegetables, milk and dairy products: opening statements by Carmen AVRAM (S&D, RO) and by Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market

2022 marks the 60th anniversary of the EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP). The Familly farm "Ferme de la Croix" in Villers-le-Bouillet / Fize-Fontaine is Established in the village for 5 generations cultivating the land and raising livestock. They try to adapt the agricultural practices to environmental challenges and animal welfare. They also diversified their production, opening their own butcher shop on the farm and producing artisanal pasta. This Infoclip illustrates: cattle on the field, feeding the cattle, harvesting, artisanal pasta production and butcher shop.

Infoclip: 60 years of the CAP - modern agriculture example (Belgium)

Food origin, food cost, food safety, taste, nutritional content and ethics and beliefs are among the most important factors for Europeans when buying food. Food and nutrition habits of European citizens may vary from a Member State to the other. Discover more in this video. Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - Most important factors when buying food

Zero Waste from Green Waste Non-marketable by-products of legumes such as peas, beans or other lentils, are experiencing a new life. Manufacturers tend to get rid of them despite the fact that they’re rich in proteins and fibers and still have nutritional value. Within the framework of a European research project, a method has been developed to transform them into bioplastics.

Futuris: Legumes see new life in flowerpots

On 9 May 2015, Europe Day, Martin Schulz, President of the EP, made a short speech at the opening of the EU pavilion at the EXPO 2015 Universal Exhibition in Milan. Centred on the theme of global food and nutrition challenges, EXPO is an opportunity for the EU to showcase its work in different food related areas and help raise awareness of this important global issue.

Europe Day 09 May 2015 at the Expo Milan 2015: inauguration of the EU pavilion speech by Martin SCHULZ, EP President

Consumers who buy food are entitled to nutritional facts, but detailed information on ingredients' countries of origin would lead to far, says the rapporteur on the matter.

Interview: Labels are  meant to be read - Sommer

In 2050 the world will need to feed 9 billion hungry mouths. MEPs think a reformed CAP is a valid European answer, but what exactly will it look like?

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