In January 2024, Jacques Vandenschrik (Honorary President of the European Food Banks Federation) was nominated ad personam by the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, to join the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture, led by the independent scientist Prof. Dr. Peter Strohschneider.
This was unique in bringing together diverse voices in and on the periphery of the agri-food sector, engaging in meaningful discussions on the future of agriculture and food systems in the European Union. They engaged with different perspectives and embraced a shared purpose. The final report highlights recommendations that unify a range of viewpoints across the entire agri-food sector, setting strategic goals for the medium and long term, forging consensus for the future.
As the European Food Banks Federation, we call on all stakeholders to achieve a more upgraded framework for public procurement on sustainable food and enable Food Banks and other non-profit organisations to maximise their role and to propose adequate measures to safeguard food affordability for lower-income consumers through social and fiscal policies. Those policies could include financial support explicitly targeted at lower-income households. Beyond that, the removal of VAT on food donations is essential in encouraging contributions to Food Banks and other social organisations, distributing food for free to their beneficiaries.
Beyond this, we affirm that Food Banks and other social organisations distributing food for free to people in need are important stakeholders in the food system, for they play an essential role in decreasing food losses while improving social cohesion, as outlined in the report. We congratulate the members of the Strategic Dialogue for their work and this report, and look forward to the implementation of the set goals and strategy.
