14 European NGOs challenge Brussels on environmental labeling and mention the Planet-score as a solution

14 NGOs alert the European Commission for the work concerning the future European environmental labeling of food products, which privileges a method favoring highly intensive practices and takes little account of the impact of pesticides. On the other hand, they underline the interest of the Planet-score methodology, in line with EU Farm to Fork strategies and consumer expectations.

14 NGOs and European consumer associations sent an open letter on March 7, 2022 to the Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans, and to European Commissioners for Health and Consumer Policy, for the Environment, for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, for Agriculture and for Rural Development, to Stella Kyriakides, Virginijus Sinkevičius, and Janusz Wojciechowski, and their General Directors.

These structures federate all the major environmental associations (EEB), and consumer associations (BEUC), and many other organizations have joined this open letter, in particular NGOs defending animal welfare and those of fair trade.

The serious shortcomings of the PEF method

NGOs warn about the PEF method (Product Environmental Footprint) developed by the European Commission for the environmental labeling of food products and more generally of biobased products. This rating method favors products from highly intensive agricultural production methods and does not consider several negative externalities, linked in particular to the use of pesticides and the impact on biodiversity. Its use would send a signal opposite to that of the ecological transition.

NGOs underline their interest in the Planet-score methodology.

The 14 NGOs therefore urge the Commission to move towards methods and indicators allowing a food and agricultural transition in line with the EU’s environmental objectives. They emphasize their interest in the Planet-score methodology “more in line with the ‘From farm to fork’ strategy, which includes reducing the use of pesticides, fertilizers and antibiotics, increasing organic agricultural land and improving animal welfare”.
The signatories call for a more inclusive governance process for the choice of method and indicators for the future European environmental labelling.