Brussels, 9 March 2022
Primary Food Processors (PFP) welcomed the publication of the European Commission’s REPowerEU Communication and highlighted the urgent need to support Europe’s energy intensive food processing industries during a period of significant geopolitical uncertainty and energy market disruption.
The organisation emphasised that primary food processors play a strategic role within the European food system by transforming agricultural raw materials into essential food ingredients used throughout the food supply chain.
According to PFP, primary food processors contribute directly to food security by processing cereals, sugar beet, oilseeds, cocoa products and starch potatoes into ingredients used across a wide range of food manufacturing sectors. Maintaining stable production is therefore essential for ensuring the continued availability of food products throughout the European Union.
The organisation noted that primary food processing is highly energy intensive and therefore particularly exposed to disruptions in energy supply and extreme fluctuations in energy prices. Reliable access to affordable energy remains critical for maintaining industrial operations and safeguarding food production capacity.
PFP warned that prolonged energy shortages or sustained increases in energy costs could reduce production capacity, disrupt food ingredient availability and create broader challenges for food security across the European Union.
Against this backdrop, the organisation called on European institutions and Member States to ensure that primary food processors are included among the sectors eligible for emergency support measures introduced under the Temporary Crisis Framework and related state aid mechanisms.
PFP specifically requested targeted support measures designed to protect industrial food processing activities, maintain operational continuity and safeguard food ingredient production during periods of market disruption.
The organisation stressed that Europe’s food security objectives cannot be separated from the resilience and competitiveness of the industries responsible for transforming agricultural raw materials into food ingredients.
PFP concluded that the successful implementation of REPowerEU should include measures that support industrial resilience, strengthen energy security and ensure the continued functioning of Europe’s food supply chains during periods of economic and geopolitical uncertainty.
PFP members process approximately 220 million tonnes of raw materials and employ more than 120,000 people across the European Union.
