Pathway for a green, digital and resilient EU agri-food industrial ecosystem

The European Commission has published the transition pathway for the agri-food industrial ecosystem. The Pathway focuses on the food processing industry and has been co-created by the Commission, Member States, and stakeholders such as industry associations and NGOs.

The pathway identifies challenges and opportunities based on the food systems approach specifically for this part of the value chain and it proposes actions to boost its contribution to a competitive, sustainable, resilient and fair EU agri-food system.

The transition pathway highlights that the food system's competitiveness and resilience require fair returns for all players in the value chain, smart sustainability investments to limit food inflation, support for the international attractiveness of EU agri-food exports, and implementation of circular business models.

The pathway encourages industrial stakeholders to take up the EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices, while suggesting enabling actions to achieve the code's sustainability objectives. It also proposes to boost collaboration between different business support organisations, and to increase the awareness of R&I funding opportunities, especially towards sustainability innovation.