Our Priorities

Primary food processors are the backbone of a resilient continent, transforming raw materials into the essential ingredients that ensure food security in Europe. To lead the way forward, our sector must be recognized as a priority industry, contributing to Europe’s industrial and green transitions through sustainable innovation and decarbonisation.

Agriculture

ensuring food security in Europe

Sustainability

contributing to Europe’s industrial and green transitions

AGRICULTURE

Ensuring food security in Europe

Ensuring food security requires a stable, sustainable, and competitive supply of agricultural raw materials in both quality and quantity. Because primary processing plants operate continuously, they must secure a steady inflow of agricultural raw materials throughout the year, as their transformation processes cannot be interrupted. Securing a reliable supply of high-quality agricultural raw materials is imperative for Europe’s food security and the competitiveness and growth of European primary food processors.

By combining technological innovation with regulatory predictability, Europe can build a resilient supply chain that meets current demands and anticipates future challenges.

SUSTAINABILITY

Contributing to Europe’s industrial and green transitions

Primary food processors face a structural decarbonisation challenge due to the energy-intensive nature of their operations and the rural location of many facilities. Limited access to affordable low-carbon electricity, high power prices, grid bottlenecks, and slow permitting make full electrification technically appealing but economically difficult. Therefore, parallel deployment of other technologies is necessary.

We advocate for a technology-neutral approach, as no single solution fits all.

We play a vital industrial role. Granting our sector comparable status to other major energy-intensive industries would create a more cohesive framework for industrial decarbonization clusters and state aid, ensuring we can fully contribute to Europe’s industrial and green transition.