The top 5 EU policies, plans & strategies key for agri-food projects in the bioeconomy

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EU Projects are determined by policies and plans seeking to achieve strategic EU objectives in specific areas. Being aware of these policies and plans is key when preparing a project and very especially during the proposal writing process. A clear understanding of the policy environment of the specific program and topic to which our project is addressed will largely increase our possibilities of success.

In this post, we will identify and describe the most relevant policies and plans for EU projects within the agri-food and bioeconomy sector:

The European Green Deal (EGD)

The EGD aims to promote sustainable growth by transitioning to a modern, resource-efficient, and competitive economy.

It is composed of a set of policy initiatives with the overarching objective of making the EU climate neutral by 2050 and decoupling economic growth from resource use. The most important ones with regards to agri-food and bioeconomy related projects are described below:

Farm to Fork (F2F) Strategy: Within the EGD, the F2F Strategy aims to accelerate the transition to a sustainable food system which is fair, healthy and environmentally friendly. Key pillars of this strategy are the prevention of food lost and waste, the sustainable food production, the sustainable food processing and distribution and the sustainable food consumption.
The EU’s circular economy action plan (CEAP) is one of the main blocks of the EGD. It aims to reduce pressure on natural resources while creating sustainable growth and jobs. Among its objectives, it seeks to ensure less waste and make circularity work for people, regions and cities.
The zero-pollution action plan, also part of the EGD strategy, aims to reduce air, water and soil pollution to levels not considered harmful to health and natural ecosystems. Key targets include a significant reduction of waste generation and specifically halving residual municipal waste.
The Biodiversity strategy for 2030 aims to protect nature and reverse the degradation of ecosystems, recovering them for the benefit of the people, climate and the planet. The Biodiversity Strategy is EU’s contribution to the upcoming negotiations on the global post-2020 biodiversity framework. It also supports a green recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic.

The European Green Deal: structure

The bioeconomy strategy

The bioeconomy strategy aims to accelerate the deployment of a sustainable European Bioeconomy through 5 main areas of action:

Food and nutrition security.
Natural resources sustainability.
Reduced dependence on non-renewable, unsustainable resources.
Limitation and adaptation to climate change.
Increased European competitiveness and more jobs.

The strategy is implemented by means of an action plan focused on strengthening and scaling up the biobased sectors, unlocking investments and markets, deploying local bioeconomies rapidly across the whole of Europe and understanding the ecological boundaries of the bioeconomy.

Food 2030

In line with the objectives of the EGD, F2F and Bioeconomy strategies, Food 2030 is the EU’s research and innovation policy to achieve a resilient EU food system that guarantees people’s health and environmental protection.

The objective of Food 2030 is to reach the following key food and nutrition goals:

Nutrition for sustainable and healthy diets
Food systems supporting a healthy planet.
Circularity and resource efficiency.
Innovation and empowering communities.

To achieve these goals, Horizon Europe will support key actions offering answers to Food 2030 priorities.

The Soil Strategy for 2030

Already discussed in a previous blog post, the Soil Strategy for 2030 aims to protect and restore soils, ensuring they are used sustainably.

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)

The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is one of the founding policies of the original Common Market. It supports farmers and ensures food security. It was reformed in December 2021 to become fairer, greener and more performance-based. The new CAP is due to begin in 2023 and is intended to become a key tool in supporting the EGD and, more specifically, the F2F and Biodiversity strategies.

The policy focuses on the following objectives:

to ensure a fair income for farmers;
to increase competitiveness;
to improve the position of farmers in the food chain;
climate change action;
environmental care;
to preserve landscapes and biodiversity;
to support generational renewal;
vibrant rural areas;
to protect food and health quality;
fostering knowledge and innovation.

The CAP 10 objectives – Source: EU Commission

This article has been prepared by Chema Castellano, Innovarum´s Senior Proposal Writer

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