Source: European Parliament
1. The Commission has adopted a legislative proposal[1] setting food waste reduction targets to be achieved by Member States by 2030. The Commission will continue to support Member States in reducing food waste and reaching the targets when adopted, through the sharing of best practices in the EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste[2], offering financial support via Single Market Programme action grants for Member States to monitor their food waste and to implement food waste prevention programmes, as well as developing tools and guidance to reduce consumer food waste[3].
2. The Commission welcomes all effective solutions and innovative technologies that contribute to the global Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.3 ‘Halving food waste and raising climate ambition’[4] and help curb food waste in all sectors of the food supply chain, as long as they do not compromise food safety and animal health. Best practices, including those from the dairy and agricultural sector, are shared in the above-mentioned Platform or its dedicated subgroups. Through Horizon Europe, the Commission supports, for example, the development of sustainable and smart packaging solutions to extend shelf-life of packaged products, and circular solutions to empower and engage all actors in food systems.
- [1] Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2008/98/EC on waste (COM(2023) 420 final).
- [2] EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste: https://food.ec.europa.eu/food-safety/food-waste/eu-actions-against-food-waste/eu-platform-food-losses-and-food-waste_en
- [3] Toolkit to reduce consumer food waste: https://knowledge4policy.ec.europa.eu/bioeconomy/reduce-food-waste_en
- [4] https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/halving-food-waste-and-raising-climate-ambition-sdg-123-and-paris-agreement