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having regard to its resolution of 17 April 2018 on a European strategy for the promotion of protein crops – encouraging the production of protein and leguminous plants in the European agriculture sector (1),

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having regard to its resolution of 24 March 2022 on the need for an urgent EU action plan to ensure food security inside and outside the EU in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (2),

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having regard to its resolution of 20 October 2021 on a farm to fork strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system (3),

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having regard to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report of 2022 entitled ‘Thinking about the future of food safety and food allergies with regard to certain types of novel foods and protein sources’,

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having regard to the Joint Research Centre (JRC) study of July 2020 entitled ‘Future of EU livestock: how to contribute to a sustainable agricultural sector?’,

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having regard to the Dublin Declaration of 2022 on the societal role of livestock,

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having regard to the latest scientific knowledge, including the 2022 Dublin Declaration and the related publications in the scientific journal Animal Frontiers,

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having regard to the UN FAO report of 2022 entitled ‘Thinking about the future of food safety – A foresight report’,

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having regard to the Commission communication of 15 November 2022 entitled ‘Towards a Strong and Sustainable EU Algae Sector’ (COM(2022)0592),

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having regard to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and FAO Agricultural Outlook 2022-2031,

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having regard to the Commission report of December 2022 entitled ‘EU agricultural outlook – For markets, income and environment 2022-2032’,

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having regard to the FAO report of June 2023 entitled ‘Contribution of terrestrial animal source food to healthy diets for improved nutrition and health outcomes – An evidence and policy overview on the state of knowledge and gaps’,

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having regard to the report of the FAO and World Health Organization (WHO) of 2019 entitled ‘Sustainable healthy diets – guiding principles’,

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having regard to the FAO report of 2021 entitled ‘Integration of environment and nutrition in life cycle assessment of food items: opportunities and challenges’,

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having regard to the Commission report of 22 November 2018 on the development of plant proteins in the European Union (COM(2018)0757),

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having regard to the Commission staff working document of 4 January 2023 on drivers of food security (SWD(2023)0004),

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having regard to the Commission communication of 20 May 2020 entitled ‘A Farm to Fork Strategy – for a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system’ (COM(2020)0381),

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having regard to the agreement adopted at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris on 12 December 2015 (‘the Paris Agreement’),

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having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 2021 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulations (EC) No 401/2009 and (EU) 2018/1999 (‘European Climate Law’) (4),

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having regard to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),

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having regard to the UN World Population Prospects 2022,

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having regard to the Agricultural Outlook 2021-2030 of the OECD and the UN FAO,

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having regard to the Science and Technology Options Assessment Panel’s study entitled ‘ “Got Protein?” Alternative protein sources in sustainable animal and human nutrition: Potentials and prospects’,

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having regard to the Versailles declaration of 10 and 11 March 2022,

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having regard to Rule 54 of its Rules of Procedure,

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having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Fisheries,

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having regard to the report of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (A9-0281/2023),

A.

whereas protein is essential for both humans and animals and is, therefore, an indispensable component in food and feed consumed on a daily basis;

B.

whereas the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine have had significant effects on European and global trade, highlighting that the EU needs to diversify its food and feed supply chains in order to increase its open autonomy and reduce its dependence on inputs from just one or a few foreign suppliers in order to strengthen the production of plant protein and the overall resilience of the EU protein sector;

C.

whereas the EU produces 77 % of the feed protein it uses (rising to 96 % in the case of low-protein-content feed, and 89 % in that of medium-protein-content feed); whereas, however, only 29 % of the high-protein feedstock needed to balance animal feed originates in the EU; whereas, as a consequence, the EU is heavily dependent on imports of high-protein plant-based products from non-EU countries, making the EU reliant on imports of soya beans and meal from the United States and South America; whereas, particularly in South America, this dependency often drives land-use change and an increase in the EU’s water footprint, along with environmental problems in the producing countries, such as contamination of groundwater, water shortages, nutrient loss, soil erosion and deforestation, resulting in a decline in biodiversity; whereas the cultivation of protein plants may have negative social and health consequences in producer countries, aggravated by weak land-tenure rights, land grabbing, forced expulsion and other human-rights abuses;

D.

whereas although protein-crop production in the EU has improved over the last 10 years, there continues to be a significant shortfall in domestic production as livestock production has also increased, consolidating the EU’s heavy dependence on imports of protein-rich crops from non-EU countries;

E.

whereas increased circularity between plant-based and animal-based proteins, such as the use of waste streams of plant-based proteins for food as feed for the production of animal-sourced proteins, along with the more sustainable production of all available types of protein, are crucial for the transition towards more sustainable food systems with a reduced impact on the climate and biodiversity; whereas increased cultivation and consumption of plant-based proteins are also enabling factors in the transition; whereas the environmental footprint of animal products can be reduced by feed additives that help animals to digest protein and to reduce their methane and ammonia emissions;

F.

whereas leguminous crops and grasslands help maintain and improve soil quality and fertility, increase biodiversity, fix carbon and nitrogen and contribute to water retention; whereas legumes can be grown with less chemical fertiliser due to symbiosis with soil bacteria; whereas the growing of leguminous crops, despite its low economic profitability, makes a positive contribution to mitigating climate change and other environmental impacts as well as reducing weed pressure, therefore addressing environmental and climate challenges in line with the Green Deal objectives;

G.

whereas new breeding techniques could play a key role in enhancing profitability and in reaching the EU’s Green Deal targets, such as by raising yields, boosting protein content and quality and enabling the EU to enhance the regional adaptation of crops and make them more resilient to climate change and pathogens;

H.

whereas the common agricultural policy (CAP) allows the cultivation of protein crops and grasslands to be supported;

I.

whereas the processing of protein crops and grasslands generates by-products that can be used in a way that supports the circular economy, such as their use for human consumption, renewable energy, fertiliser, animal feed or the production of green chemicals; whereas, as a by-product, livestock produces valuable fertiliser that supports the EU’s resilience in food production; whereas the nitrogen needed to grow crops is mainly provided by synthetic fertilisers, which are costly and energy-intensive to produce; whereas, as part of manure management systems as well as the safe usage of sewage sludge, RENURE (REcovered Nitrogen from manURE), increases resource efficiency and enables progress towards a more circular economy;

J.

whereas animal husbandry can generate highly bioavailable proteins for human nutrition;

K.

whereas crop production of all types of agricultural crops, including protein crops, produces biomass that is mostly inedible for humans (one kilo of plant-based protein generates around three to five kilos of biomass that is edible only by ruminants);

L.

whereas the consumption of locally and sustainably produced animal proteins contributes to the EU’s food security and enhances the vitality of Europe’s rural areas; whereas animal proteins are produced in the EU under some of the world’s highest sustainability standards in terms of animal welfare, climate and the environment, and often constitute an important component of a balanced diet; whereas in the EU animal husbandry is heavily dependent on imports of crops with a high protein content, which have to be grown on arable land outside the EU;

M.

whereas enhancing European food resilience and security by consuming animal proteins produced in the EU contributes to more sustainable production globally;

N.

whereas animal-sourced proteins provide high-quality proteins and are the most bioavailable protein source for humans, which is particularly important for fertile women, children, adolescents, and elderly or frail persons;

O.

whereas extensive livestock production, particularly in remote and mountainous areas, is a highly sustainable activity and helps ensure that these areas remain populated;

P.

whereas sustainable aquatic and aquaculture protein can contribute to global food security, nutrition and healthy balanced diets; whereas intensive aquaculture may often be accompanied by diverse negative environmental impacts, such as the consequences of using chemicals or antibiotics; whereas algae can provide an opportunity to reduce the negative environmental impacts of aquaculture;

Q.

whereas alternative proteins such as fungi or fermentation products require carbohydrate-rich inputs; whereas this production could utilise residues and waste streams from conventional food production, contributing to a more circular economy; whereas EU waste legislation imposes a heavy regulatory burden on producers that process food waste;

R.

whereas the potential of insect-based protein for human and particularly animal nutrition is growing and could potentially reduce the EU’s protein import dependence; whereas more knowledge about the sustainability of insect farming is needed and consumers should be given the clear information they want and are entitled to about the presence of insect-based ingredients in various end products;

S.

whereas the market for all types of sustainably produced protein, especially plant- and animal-based protein, has developed in recent years; whereas the production of these proteins creates many opportunities for European farmers and food producers; whereas plant-based proteins already enjoy high and rising consumer demand, acceptance, and technological maturity;

T.

whereas consumers are calling for more transparency and information about food sustainability; whereas there are no voluntary standardised labels or product declarations to ensure the environmental sustainability of proteins either for human consumption or for animal feed and feed additives;

U.

whereas it is important to adopt a value chain approach in order to create added value for sustainably produced proteins, especially plant-based proteins, since the production of locally sourced, high added value products, enhances the value chain and encourages farmers to invest;

V.

whereas research and innovation in the sustainable production of all sources of protein needs to include farmers, and should increase its focus on plant- and animal-based protein as both private and public EU research and innovation has mainly concentrated on cereals and oilseeds in recent decades;

W.

whereas general training and knowledge transfer only reaches about 10 % of EU farm holdings; whereas there is a critical need to further invest in training and advisory services for farmers, to spread know-how on protein crops, best practices, behavioural changes, cultivation of grasslands and extraction of protein from alternative sources;