Firstly, the Commission published a Green Paper on 14 July 2011 (COM(2011)436), launching a debate on a new promotion and information strategy. This took the form of an online consultation process which ran from 14 July to 7 October 2011.

In this light, EPHAC seized the opportunity to express its concerns on the matter.

EPHAC believes the main focus of promotion funds shoud be to promote foods and themes that are in line with the EU 2020 strategy for sustainable and inclusive growth, and to use promotion funds to promote healthy diets and to promote local and regional foods and food systems as part of this strategy.

The primary role of EU agriculture is, and should remain on guaranteeing sustainable production of safe, nutritious, accessible and affordable food and increasingly focus on providing public goods – health, environment, climate, employment, social inclusion and security. Modern European agriculture must be capable of responding to environmental, health and societal challenges, including inequalities in health, chronic diet-related diseases, poverty and demographic change in the EU.

The main outcome of the report point to “a re-inforced value-added European strategy for promoting the tastes of Europe”. You can access the summary report here: CAP. The reform of promotion policy for agricultural products.

Although the consultation highlights the traditional areas of difference among stakeholders, there are a number of issues where clear majority views emerge:
“- Reinforce the key promotion messages of quality, health, sustainability, responsible consumption of resources, value for money, animal welfare;
- Maintain the generic promotion of the ‘EU brand’ as the primary tool on the internal market but with more flexibility for origin and products. There is no consensus on how far this flexibility should go;
- Use freshness, direct sales, short supply chains, local products, contribution to rural economy as key messages in local/regional markets;
- Widen the range of eligible products, particularly on external markets;
- Facilitate participation in programmes (e.g. actions targeted at small companies/organisations or financing market studies);
- Simplify and/or shorten administrative procedures for application, evaluation and implementation
of programmes;
- Review the respective responsibilities of the Commission and Member States;
- Enhance and finance the exchange of best practice using different communications platforms
(websites, seminars, etc.)”

Having said this, a strong push for external market promotion of EU-branded agricultural products has been observed. EPHAC answers were of an added-value in terms of public health considerations, social equity and policy coherence in internal and external EU policies.

A report summarizing the contributions was presented at the conference “Promotion of European agriculture: a new approach” organised by the Polish Presidency in Warsaw on 29 November 2011 (in which EPHAC particpated as well).Also, various inter-institutional actions were developed:

- The Council provided political orientations in December 2011 with Council Conclusions;

- The Economic and Social Committee made recommendations in its opinion of 7 December 2011;

- The Committee of the Regions made recommendations in its opinion of 15 December 2011.

Next steps: The summary report will pave the way for a presentation of concrete option(s) in a Communication in mid-2012 followed by regulatory proposals by the end of 2012.

With regards to the area of agriculture, the European Parliament wants to restore the Council’s cuts and it considers the Commission’s estimates of budgetary needs as more realistic than the Council’s proposals, in particular against the current background of great economic uncertainty and of instability in the markets. EP urges the Commission to increase its efforts in defining clear priorities in favour of sustainable farming systems, which preserve biodiversity, protect water resources and soil fertility, respect animal welfare and employment. In this move, the Parliament agreed to add €250 million to emergency funds for fruit and vegetable producers. This money is meant to prevent future crises like the E.Coli-bacteria outbreak earlier this year and to compensate farmers for the financial consequences of further crises. They emphasised that the prevention and response mechanisms with relation to crises in this sector are clearly insufficient and therefore an immediate solution needs to be found until the new CAP is in place.

Although no concrete numbers were put on the table, the EP called for the continued support for the EU School Fruit Scheme and to provides for an increased support for the school milk programme. In a similar vein, MEPs want maintaining the budget allocation dedicated to the Food Distribution Programme for the Most Deprived Persons in the Union that supports 18 million people with problems of malnutrition within the Union. The recent effort of the Commission (see the amended Commission proposal of 3 October 2011 for a regulation on this subject (COM(2011)0634)) was widely applauded by MEPs. It is to find a political and legal solution to avoid any drastic cuts in the implementation of the programme in 2012 and 2013. Also, they strongly called on the Council to endorse without any delay this proposal (however, see the recent still unsolved blocking minority at the Council level), especially in view of the difficult social situation in many Member States following the financial and economic crisis.

A 21-day conciliation period starts in November, with meetings foreseen on 8 and 18 November. Furthermore, there are budget trilogues foreseen on 3, 10 and 14 November. If Parliament and Council can agree, the final budget could be approved at the December session in Brussels.

Although too early to properly evaluate the School Fruit Scheme, the report concludes that the EU SFS seems to be more effective than the School Milk Scheme in reaching its short term goal of increased consumption and long term goals of improving diets. The report highlights the the School Fruit Scheme’s free provision and obligatory educational measures (accompanying measures) are more effective, and should be considered for improving the School Milk Scheme.

The report also highlights the need for both schemes to focus on providing foods of high nutritional quality and improving diets for them to be successful.

The primary focus of the report was on the school milk scheme; however it was compared to the School Fruit Scheme because of similarities in the schemes goals and operation. The School Milk Scheme has existed for about 30 year; the EU SFS was implemented in 2009. Both schemes focus on improving consumption in the short-term and improving dietary habits in the long-term.

The school milk scheme was originally introduced as a market measure to increase consumption of dairy products and dispose of surplus products, while the School Fruit Scheme was introduced with an explicit public health goal of improving fruit and vegetable consumption and encouraging healthy diets.

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European Court of Auditors Special Report No 10/2011 – Are the School Milk and School Fruit Schemes effective?  can be accessed at:

http://eca.europa.eu/portal/pls/portal/docs/1/9400726.PDF

The Commission Communication on the CAP in November included public health  as a priority and recognised the increasing focus on nutrition and sustainable consumption as part of the larger societal issues that CAP must deliver on.” said Clive Needle, Chair of the European Public Health and Agriculture Consortium and Director of EuroHealthNet.  “The legislative package presented today does not go far enough or adequately address the radical changes that will need to be made in production and consumption to address  the challenges of chronic disease, climate change and feeding an increasing global population adequately, equitably and sustainably.

EPHAC welcomes the intent showed by the Commission to shift towards resource-efficient local and regional food systems, but feels that a more holistic approach should be taken that provides multiple benefits for society such as access to foods necessary for healthy diet and building more resilient food systems.  Climate change and loss of biodiversity will increasingly have an impact on health and well-being.  Although the proposals have a substantial “greening element”, they do not adequately address reducing dependency of agriculture on fossil fuels, chemical inputs and imported feedstuffs.

 EPHAC welcomes the changes made in the legislative proposals to improve the School Fruit Scheme and the Most Deprived Persons Scheme, but we need to continue to develop ideas for a more comprehensive programme that improves access to foods of high nutritional value for all members of society including vulnerable groups. Linking production and consumption policy can be a driver in creating necessary change.

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Notes to the editor:

EPHAC is a Brussels based alliance of civil society and public health organisations advocating for a healthy, sustainable Common Agriculture Policy. EPHAC members are European Alcohol Policy Alliance, EuroHealthNet, European Heart Network (EHN), European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), , Heart of Mersey, National Heart Forum (NHF) and North West Health Brussels Office (NWHBO).

Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), overweight and obesity, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), diabetes, cancer, and mental health disorders pose the greatest threat to health and are a major barrier to sustainable economic and inclusive growth in Europe. Diet, along with physical activity, alcohol and tobacco consumption is one of the leading modifiable risk factors for NCDs. 

The significance of the economic costs of ill health in Europe has been acknowledged by the World Economic Forum in its publication “Global Risks 2010”. In this report, chronic diseases are stressed as one of the most severe risk factors we will face, alongside much discussed fiscal crises.

See also “Assessing the impacts of EU rules in the area of animal health and welfare, plant health, consumer choice, food and feed safety and public health on agriculture and the food sector” http://ec.europa.eu/food/cap_toward_2020/index_en.htm

EPHAC consultation response

The European Court of Justice ruled that the MDP scheme was “illegal, as nearly 90 % of food products from the market instead of public storage”. At the time, DG AGRI indicated that the ruling would not impinge on the 2010 and 2011 programmes, but did acknowledge that there might be budgetary implications for the 2012 plan, as intervention stocks continue to diminish.

Reducing the budget for 2012 means in practical terms that the scheme will be purely based on intervention stocks and no market purchases will be allowed. Market purchases are necessary to give the scheme an enhanced public health profile, but bring about questions of its legitimacy and legality. The scheme was developed as a measure to dispose of surplus stocks, but has developed into something more. The last proposal from the commission included developing nutritional criteria for the scheme and including Fruits and Vegetables as eligible products for the first time.

Food Banks in a majority of countries are highly dependent on the programme.

Aware that the diminishing intervention stocks would eventually pose difficulties for the future of the scheme, revised proposals – inc. provisions to make it easier for the EU to access products from the market – were initially tabled by the Commission in 2008. Amended proposals were put forward by EU Farm Commissioner Dacian Ciolos last September (2010) but remain stalled at Council level by a blocking minority (Germany, UK, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden), which insists that the scheme fulfils social objectives and therefore should be separated from the CAP.

Despite these, the Polish Agriculture and Rural Development Minister and current Council chair Marek Sawicki has signalled that the Presidency intends to “suggest that this issue is raised at next month’s European Summit” (Oct 17-18). Commissioner Ciolos commented that the commission “would remain politically committed to the scheme” and indicated that the commission will find a way to continue the scheme which is in line with the legal situation. Commissioner Ciolos called on Farm Ministers to stop “hiding behind legal and technical arguments” and to “shoulder their responsibility”, and he insisted that the ruling by the General Court delivered in April “has only made a point on the legal basis” and that the proposal currently on the table is based on a new legal framework.

In the absence of a decision from the Council, the Commission will not legally be able to allocate more than €113 million (instead of the €500m earmarked) for the 2012 programme, and no budget will be allocated for 2013. It is planned to move the scheme to the European Social Fund in 2014 and use intervention stocks to supplement the programme. Commissioner Ciolos also indicated that he hopes to resolve this issue before the end of the Polish Presidency.

Currently, the SFS is up and running in 24 Member States, reaching almost 5 million schoolchildren in 32.000 schools. The scheme builds on experiences from Members states and evidence from studies examining the effectiveness of  school fruit schemes in increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and strategies to establish life-long lasting healthy eating habits. Consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables is at best stagnating and falling in many countries, according to Freshfel’s latest Consumption Monitor.

The EP COMAGRI (European Parliament Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development) has expressed their support to maintain the current budget for the EU SFS for 2012 and 2013. In their draft opinion, the 2012 Draft Budget as modified by the Council (2011/2020(BUD)) (Rapporteur: Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos) COMAGRI has emphasized the importance of maintaining present budgets for both the EU SFS and School Milk Scheme:

“Emphasises the importance of adequate financing for specific programmes such as the school fruit and school milk schemes; points out that these specific programmes not only benefit farmers, but also support vulnerable groups in society and promote a healthier diet; asks, therefore, for the amounts which had been entered in the 2012 Draft Budget for both programmes to be reinstated”.

The plenary vote in the EP is tentatively scheduled for the 26/10/2011. The final budget 2012 will be negotiated in the Council in November.

The EU School Fruit Scheme is the first programme in CAP that targets access to  healthier foods, and should be supported by Member states. Budget cuts would mean a loss of momentum for this important programme.

Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), overweight and obesity, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), diabetes, cancer, and mental health disorders pose the greatest threat to public health by accounting for 86% of deaths, and are a major barrier to sustainable economic and inclusive growth in Europe. Fortunately, chronic disease is largely preventable. With a current 18 year-difference between average life expectancy (79.4 years) and average healthy life years expectancy (61.45 years) in the European region – mostly due to the  high burden of NCDs – modifying major risk factors such as diet, physical activity, alcohol and tobacco consumption show potential for big health gains.

The debate gathered around 100 stakeholders committed to discussing how agriculture and food policy can play complementary and a more substantial role in improving health of Europeans, in particular those of low socioeconomic status and children.

MEP Oana Elena Antonescu (EEP, Romania) hosted the debate and highlighted that tackling chronic disease will require joined up efforts, including examining how the Common Agricultural Policy can be utilised. The current debate on the CAP focuses mostly on payments; however, it should also focus on health and better integration of production and consumption in order to create a necessary change. She said that although a number of factors influence diets, people’s choices are largely determined by price and availability, particular for low socioeconomic groups.

Commissioner Dacian Cioloş, in charge of Agriculture and Rural Development explained that  the Common Agriculture Policy can clearly contribution to health policies, providing safe and diverse food, at affordable prices for consumers and in sufficient quantity, promoting a balanced nutrition, based on quality products. However, in order to achieve this we can do more to create synergies between agriculture, education and health, to ensure that European policies address the challenges of diet related chronic diseases. To complement on this, Commissioner John Dalli responsible for EU health and consumer policy, called for bold action in development of necessary change around the food production and consumption, with a particular focus on consumer behaviour, education and food literacy. This would require a complete revolution in thinking about all the inter-related issues of climate change, environment and food security for a growing world population.

The conclusions from the debate highlight:

• High and increasing burden of Chronic Diseases an obesity Europe
• Obesity and overweight: the picture is not improving in the countries of the WHO European Region
• significant differences in health status in Europe both between countries and within countries with lower social groups having the least healthy diets and the lowest life expectancies
• Role of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is to embrace an ecological public health approach where factors as economy, health, environment and society complement and strengthen each other
• CAP links food, health, income and justice
• CAP should link production and consumption by supporting and expanding of school fruit and vegetable scheme, most deprived persons’ scheme and school milk scheme; the particular focus should rest on comprehensive initiative for children and Europe’s most vulnerable citizens.
• Move towards plant based diets: increased production and consumption of fruit and vegetables and whole grains decreased production and consumption of food of animal origin
• Coherence between public health goals and CAP policies: tobacco and alcohol
• Co-benefits for society, public health, sustainability and environment with a special gains in:

• food and nutrition security
• climate change
• biodiversity
• economic growth and jobs
• rural poverty and migration

Why public health and sustainability should be at the center of agriculture policy
 Professor Tim Lang, Centre for Food Policy, City University London

The challenge of Noncommunicable Diseases -integrating health and agriculture policy
Dr Gauden Galea’s Director Division of Non-communicable diseases and Health Promotion, WHO Regional Office for Europe

Tackling chronic disease and promoting health – a challenge for CAP
Susanne Logstrup, member of EPHAC management Committee and Director EHN

Images

17 June 2011, Brussels

Commissioners Dalli and Cioloş debate the Role of Public Health in the Common Agricultural Policy

Yesterday, the European Public Health and Agriculture Consortium (EPHAC) welcomed the debate on the role of public health in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) with high level participation by Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Dacian Cioloş, Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy John Dalli, Professor Tim Lang – Centre for Food Policy, City University, Dr Gauden Galea, Director, Noncommunicable Diseases and Health Promotion – WHO Europe and Susanne Løgstrup, member of the Management Committee of the European Public Health and Agriculture Consortium.

“The Common Agriculture Policy has a clear contribution to health policies, providing safe and diverse food, at affordable prices for consumers and in sufficient quantity, promoting a balanced nutrition, based on quality products” stated Commissioner Dacian Cioloş, in charge of Agriculture and Rural Development. “But we can do more to create synergies between agriculture, education and health, to ensure that European policies address the challenges of diet related chronic diseases“, he added.

Commissioner John Dalli called for action “We need to have courage and accept, design and educate to start doing things differently.” “This requires a complete revolution in thinking about all the inter-related issues of climate change, environment and food security for a growing world population.” he added.

Mostly preventable, chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), overweight and obesity, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), diabetes, cancer, and mental health disorders pose the greatest threat to health and are a major barrier to sustainable economic and inclusive growth in Europe. Diet, along with physical activity, alcohol and tobacco consumption is one of the leading modifiable risk factors for NCDs. With this in mind, the debate focused on how agriculture and food policy can play complementary a more substantial role in improving health of Europeans.

“The recent Commission Communication on the CAP included public health as a priority and recognised the increasing focus on nutrition and sustainable consumption as part of the larger societal issues that CAP must deliver on.” said Susanne Løgstrup. “We hope that this debate will be a first step in aligning European agriculture policy with public health goals, but to do so we need a more integrated approach and continued commitment from the European Commission and the European Parliament.” she added.

The aim of this important event hosted by MEP Oana Elena Antonescu (EPP, Romania) was to start a constructive dialogue and to build synergies between agriculture, health and consumer policy.

“Tackling chronic diseases will require joined up efforts including the Common Agriculture Policy. Currently in Europe 21 million children are overweight or obese and growing at a rate of 300.000 children per year. Left unchecked, this will put great additional pressure on health care costs related to diet-related NCDs.” said MEP Oana Elena Antonescu.” The European Parliament has welcomed recent efforts, like the EU School Fruit Scheme and changes in the Most Deprived Persons Scheme, but we need to continue to develop ideas that create access to foods of high nutritional value for all members of society including those on low incomes. Linking production and consumption policy can be a driver in creating necessary change.” she pointed out.

Although in relative terms food expenditure has decreased, prices paid for food by Europeans can constitute more than 50% of income and approximately 43 million people are at risk of food poverty in the EU. Associated with lower socio-economic status, poverty and social exclusion, poor nutrition is one of the strongest detrimental determinants of health.

This unique European Parliament policy debate on the importance of the role of CAP in tackling chronic diseases and inequalities in health has been organised by the European Public Health and Agriculture Consortium (EPHAC) with the support from the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA).

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Notes to the editor:

EPHAC is a Brussels based alliance of civil society and public health organisations advocating for a healthy, sustainable Common Agriculture Policy. EPHAC members are European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), EuroHealthNet, European Heart Network (EHN), European Alcohol Policy Alliance, Heart of Mersey, National Heart Forum (NHF) and North West Health Brussels Office (NWHBO).

EPHA is the European Platform bringing together public health organisations representing health professionals, patients groups, health promotion and disease specific NGOs, academic groupings and other health associations. Our vision is of a Europe with universal good health and well-being, where all have access to a sustainable and high quality health system: A Europe whose policies and practices contribute to health, both within and beyond its borders.

Who to contact at EPHA: Dorota Sienkiewicz (d.sienkiewicz@epha.org) +32 2 233 38 74

Who to contact at EPHAC: Robert Pederson (robert.pederson@healthyagriculture.eu) +45 40 28 17 01

More information on the event is available here: http://www.healthyagriculture.eu/?p=92

The programme is available here: http://tiny.cc/qtrh4