FoodDrinkEurope Calls For Testing of ENVIFOOD Protocol

The launch of the practical testing phase of the Protocol marks a successful milestone in the joint development of important deliverables with the European Commission, working towards user-friendly and affordable tools for the assessment and voluntary communication of environmental impacts along the food chain in a harmonised and reliable way.

22 Nov 2012 --- FoodDrinkEurope and stakeholders have gathered in Brussels to mark the launch of the public consultation and testing phase of ENVIFOOD Protocol, the harmonised environmental assessment methodology of food and drink products, at the European Food Sustainable Consumption and Production Round Table (SCP RT) plenary meeting.

The launch of the practical testing phase of the Protocol marks a successful milestone in the joint development of important deliverables with the European Commission, working towards user-friendly and affordable tools for the assessment and voluntary communication of environmental impacts along the food chain in a harmonised and reliable way. FoodDrinkEurope believes that this approach of involving all stakeholders on an equal footing should be taken forward in making the entire food chain more sustainable. The Protocol will be tested in 2013 through pilot studies and will be finally adopted by the end of 2013.

At the plenary event, stakeholders heard from a cross section of Round Table partners on progress regarding Working Group activities and outstanding tasks for 2013. Pascal Gréverath, Chair of the FoodDrinkEurope Environmental Sustainability Committee, Nestlé Assistant Vice-President for Environmental Sustainability and Co-Chair of the SCP RT Steering Committee together with the European Commission, commented on the current state of play on the RT’s deliverables: “This year’s plenary meeting has built on the good progress made to date with the delivery of Guiding Principles on the environmental assessment of food in 2010 and the adoption of the ‘Communicating environmental performance along the food chain’ Report that followed a public stakeholder consultation in 2011. The launch of the testing of the ENVIFOOD Protocol today and the adoption of the Report ‘Continuous Environmental Improvement’ (WG3) will go a long way to ensure that assessment results are scientifically reliable and consistent in supporting informed choice among consumers.’’

An exchange of views on the Round Table’s future objectives took place with high level speakers including Mr. Pavel Misiga, Head of Unit, (DG Environment), Mr. Tassos Haniotis, Director (DG Agriculture), Ms. Despina Spanou, (Communication, DG Health & Consumer) and Philippe Appeltans (Association of Belgian Horticultural Auctions). Mr. Chris Vanden Bilcke (UNEP) also delivered a presentation to learn more about sustainable consumption and production from a global perspective.

FoodDrinkEurope, as a founding member of Round Table, calls on food companies, retailers and other interested organisations to participate in the testing and looks forward to working with stakeholders and the European Commission as a co-chairing organisation in the next crucial phase of its work to achieve the objectives of promoting a science-based, coherent life cycle approach to sustainable consumption and production in the food and drink sector across Europe.