ANNEX – SUGGESTED CHANGES TO THE TEXT IN YELLOW
Section 1 ‘Need for action’
• Page 1 of the main body, 3rd paragraph: “Food systems are globally responsible for
around a 21-37% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and a similar share of energy
end-use, have a…
• Page 2, first paragraph: “…to reduce dependency on pesticides, fertilisers, fossil fuels,
and to…
• Page 3, first paragraph: “Research, innovation, digitalisation, electrification, technology,
knowledge sharing and financial investments will provide solutions…”
Section 2 ‘The way forward’
• Page 3, first bullet point: (…) contributing to mitigate climate change, including reducing
dependency of fossil fuels, and adapting to its impacts;
• Page 4, section 2.1, first paragraph: “To achieve sustainable food production, farmers,
fisheries and aquaculture producers need to transform their production methods, making
the best use of nature-based, technological and digital solutions to deliver better
environmental results, increase climate resilience and reduce inputs (e.g. pesticides,
fertilisers, and diesel)”
• Page 4, section 2.1, second paragraph: “It will also ensure that the Member States
strategic plans adhere to a concerted and ambitious approach in line with the Farm to
Fork Strategy, including on climate, energy, and environment, pesticides, fertilisers,
antibiotics and organics”
• Page 4, section 2.1, third paragraph: “Other promising examples include the production of
green fertilizers and of biogas, including biomethane, from agriculture waste and
residues, such as manures, and non-food crops. The Commission will explore options for
promoting green fertilisers and the integration of biogas into the gas network in the
context of the upcoming Smart Sector Integration Strategy.”
• Page 6, section 2, entirely new paragraph after the paragraph on use of chemical
pesticides: “The
direct energy use of the European agriculture and forestry sectors amounts to some 3% of the total EU final energy consumption. More than half is based
on fossil oil and petroleum products, much of which is used to fuel mobile machinery.
Electrification and hybridisation is already emerging as a solution to increase energy
efficiency and renewable energy use.
The Commission will take action to speed-up
market adoption of this and other energy efficiency solutions in the agriculture and
food sectors under the clean energy transition sub-programme of the future LIFE
Programme.
• The low tax rates and exemptions on fuel often used in agriculture are not helpful in this
respect and mean that some of the lowest cost opportunities to reduce carbon emissions
and energy consumption are being forgone. While the review of the Energy Taxation
Directive will be an opportunity to consider this in more detail, under upcoming European
Semester the Commission will encourage Member States to already consider this issue as
part of broader green, fiscal reforms, combined with revenue recycling to farmers to
support a just transition, where appropriate. “
• Annex – Action plan: New entry under the ‘Ensure sustainable food production’: “-
Include energy efficiency and electrification in agriculture and food sectors among topics
in the calls under the clean energy transition sub-programme of the future LIFE
Programme”.