Brussels, 18 September 2020
Ahead of the EU’s Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels on September 21, the agri-food trade sector calls on ministers to recognise trade as a key element of a resilient food supply chain and provide support to strong and ambitious trade policy.
CELCAA, the European Liaison Committee for Agricultural and Agri-Food Trade, says the EU has to step up its efforts in bolstering the food trade sector, which has suffered in recent months during the Covid-19 crisis. The pandemic has disrupted food production and supply chains, with travel bans, lockdowns and shutdowns of food services and disruption of transport all combining to undermine trade.
“The EU needs to ensure that global food supply chains remain open, so agri-food products can keep moving,” said Marcel van der Vliet, CELCAA President. “Europe’s agricultural and agri-food trade sector is facing challenges, not just from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, but also because of uncertainties in the global trading system. Only with free and fair trade can we continue to import and export properly. And only with free and fair trade can consumers have continued access to safe, healthy, diversified and nutritious food.”
