Brussels, 14 February 2024
The Primary Food Processors of the EU (PFP) welcome the report on the Green Claims Directive approved by the European Parliament’s Committees on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) and on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO).
PFP supports the European Commission’s proposal as an important framework for harmonising environmental claims and ensuring that sustainability statements made by businesses are properly substantiated. The organisation believes that a harmonised approach can help prevent misleading environmental claims while creating greater transparency and trust for consumers.
According to the European Commission, the Green Claims Directive aims to address the proliferation of public and private environmental labels, unlock the potential of green markets and facilitate cross border trade throughout the European Union.
PFP sectors have been actively involved in sustainability initiatives and in the development of Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR). These methodologies help identify environmental hotspots throughout product life cycles and support continuous improvement efforts across food and agricultural value chains.
The organisation agrees that environmental claims should be substantiated through robust Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies. However, PFP also highlights the importance of finding an appropriate balance between scientific robustness and practical implementation requirements for companies operating across complex supply chains.
According to PFP, further research is still required to better understand the relationship between environmental claims and the actual reduction of environmental impacts. Ensuring that substantiation requirements remain credible, proportionate and workable will be essential for the long term success of the framework.
The organisation remains committed to constructive engagement with European institutions throughout the legislative process and encourages the European Parliament and Council to finalise their positions and reach a balanced compromise agreement.
PFP brings together the European Association of Sugar Manufacturers (CEFS), the European Cocoa Association (ECA), the European Flour Milling Association (European Flour Millers), the European Vegetable Protein Association (EUVEPRO), the European Vegetable Oil and Proteinmeal Industry (FEDIOL), and the European Starch Industry Association (Starch Europe).
