EU report on reducing food waste

On Wednesday, the EP’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee adopted a report calling for reductions in food waste and improvements in food safety. György Hölvényi, Christian Democrat Fidesz-KDNP MEP, welcomed the decision that urges the EU and Member States to take policy steps to cut food waste by 50 percent in Europe by the year 2030.

According to certain estimates, we throw out 88 million tons of food every year in the European Union. The waste comes primarily from households and the processing industry. Meanwhile, nearly ten percent of the EU’s population lacks regular access to proper quality food. The EPP member of the EP’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee emphasized that for several years, MEPs have urged the EU, through parliamentary decisions and written questions, to take a stronger stance and establish a legal framework for reducing food waste.

The contradictory nature of EU and Member State-level legislation related to labelling, responsibility and taxation, plus the lack of consumer education and the sharing of best practices, all contribute to the problem of food becoming waste. For example, the MEP said that, according to a Eurobarometer survey, not even half of EU citizens understand the difference between “minimum durability date” and “expiration date”.

György Hölvényi expressed appreciation for the solidarity of Hungarian society and the civic and religious organizations that carry out food donations. “EU support for such activities is one of the high-priority goals of today’s decision,” the MEP said, “because the donation of unsold food that was created by the total supply chain does not only lead to a significant decrease in the amount of food waste but also means assistance for those in need.” The report highlights as exemplary the case in which some countries rule out the responsibility of the donor if the food, at the time of a donation made in good faith, was fit for consumption.

The Christian Democrat politician said that in Hungary the greatest challenge is to deliver and distribute food surplus to those in need, especially in the most disadvantaged regions of the country. Bearing this in mind and because of György Hölvényi’s amendment, the parliamentary report urges Member States to use Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) resources for the distribution of food surplus.