scholarly journals Policy Interventions Promoting Sustainable Food- and Feed-Systems: A Delphi Study of Legume Production and Consumption

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7597
Author(s):  
Bálint Balázs ◽  
Eszter Kelemen ◽  
Tiziana Centofanti ◽  
Marta W. Vasconcelos ◽  
Pietro P. M. Iannetta
Keyword(s):  
Delphi Study ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
Communication Process ◽  
Smooth Transition ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Policy Interventions ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Food And Feed ◽  
The Eu

The food- and feed-value systems in the European Union are not protein self-sufficient. Despite the potential of legume-supported production systems to reduce the externalities caused by current cultivation practices (excessive use of N fertilizer) and improve the sustainability of the arable cropping systems and the quality of human diets, sufficient production of high-protein legume grains in Europe has not been achieved due to multiple barriers. Identifying the barriers to the production and consumption of legumes is the first step in realizing new pathways towards more sustainable food systems of which legumes are integral part. In this study, we engage stakeholders and decision-makers in a structured communication process, the Delphi method, to identify policy interventions leveraging barriers that hinder the production and consumption of legumes in the EU. This study is one of a kind and uses a systematic method to reach a common understanding of the policy incoherencies across sectors. Through this method we identify policy interventions that may promote the production of legumes and the creation of legume-based products in the EU. Policies that encourage reduced use of inorganic N fertilizer represent an important step toward a shift in the increased cultivation of legumes. Relatedly, investment in R&D, extension services, and knowledge transfer is necessary to support a smooth transition from the heavy use of synthetic N fertilizer in conventional agriculture. These policy interventions are discussed within current EU and national plant-protein strategies.

scholarly journals Food Safety Governance and Guardianship: The Role of the Private Sector in Addressing the EU Ethylene Oxide Incident

Foods ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 204
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Kowalska ◽  
Louise Manning
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Ethylene Oxide ◽  
Collaborative Governance ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Animal Origin ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Sesame Seeds ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
Food And Feed ◽  
The Eu

Sesame seeds within the European Union (EU) are classified as foods not of animal origin. Two food safety issues associated with sesame seeds have emerged in recent years, i.e., Salmonella contamination and the presence of ethylene oxide. Fumigation with ethylene oxide to reduce Salmonella in seeds and spices is not approved in the EU, so its presence in sesame seeds from India was a sentinel incident sparking multiple trans-European product recalls between 2020–2021. Following an interpretivist approach, this study utilises academic and grey sources including data from the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) database to inform a critical appraisal of current EU foods not of animal origin legislation and associated governance structures and surveillance programs. This is of particular importance as consumers are encouraged towards plant-based diets. This study shows the importance of collaborative governance utilizing data from company testing and audits as well as official regulatory controls to define the depth and breadth of a given incident in Europe. The development of reflexive governance supported by the newest technology (e.g., blockchain) might be of value in public–private models of food safety governance. This study contributes to the literature on the adoption of risk-based food safety regulation and the associated hybrid public–private models of food safety governance where both regulators and private organizations play a vital role in assuring public health.

A tale of two commodities: how EU mycotoxin regulations have affected u.s. tree nut industries

2008 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Wu
Keyword(s):  
Economic Impacts ◽  
The European Union ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Export Markets ◽  
Quality Product ◽  
The World ◽  
Food And Feed ◽  
High Quality Product ◽  
The U.S ◽  
The Eu

The European Union (EU) has some of the strictest standards for mycotoxins in food and feed in the world. This paper explores the economic impacts of these standards on other nations that attempt to export foods that are susceptible to one mycotoxin, aflatoxin, to the EU. The current EU standard for total aflatoxins in food is 4 ng/g in food other than peanuts, and 15 ng/g in peanuts. Under certain conditions, export markets may actually benefit from the strict EU standard. These conditions include a consistently high-quality product, and a global scene that allows market shifts. Even lower-quality export markets can benefit from the strict EU standard, primarily by technology forcing. However, if the above conditions are not met, export markets suffer from the strict EU standard. Two case studies are presented to illustrate these two different scenarios: the U.S. pistachio and almond industries. Importantly, within the EU, food processors may suffer as well from the strict aflatoxin standard. EU policymakers should consider these more nuanced economic impacts when developing mycotoxin standards for food and feed.

scholarly journals Pollen from genetically modified plants in honey – problems with quantification and proper labelling

2013 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ewelina Żmijewska ◽  
Dariusz Teper ◽  
Anna Linkiewicz ◽  
Sławomir Sowa
Keyword(s):  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Detection Methods ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Food Ingredient ◽  
Gm Food ◽  
Gm Plants ◽  
Pollen Content ◽  
Food And Feed ◽  
Total Pollen ◽  
The Eu

Abstract Maize can be a valuable source of pollen when plants attractive for bees are not available. Honeybees can forage from conventional maize as well as from genetically modified (GM ) maize. The Court of Justice of the European Union (EU ) ruled that pollen in honey must be treated as a food ingredient and therefore falls within the scope of Regulation 1829/2003/EC on GM food and feed and requires authorization. GM pollen unauthorized in the EU cannot be present in honey at any level, and honey must be labelled if it contains more than 0.9% of pollen from authorized GM plants in relation to total pollen content. However, currently available analytical methods allow only for estimation of GM pollen quantity in honey. Therefore, Directive 2001/110/EC related to honey needs to be amended so that pollen can be regarded as a natural constituent of honey. Because the EU is a big honey importer, validated and harmonized detection methods are necessary for the control of GM pollen in honey.

scholarly journals Ecological taxes in some European countries

2004 ◽  
Vol 49 (162) ◽  
pp. 209-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanja Filipovic
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Eu Directive ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Previous Decade ◽  
Eastern European Countries ◽  
The Eu

Production and consumption of fossil fuels is one of the major causes of the green house effect, which is in economics known as a form of ecological externality. Fiscal solution, as one way of internalization of externalities, is based on polluters-pay principle and the imposition of tax on emission. Although the implementation of ecological tax was intensified during the previous decade, fiscal revenues are modest and account for only 5% of the total fiscal revenues of the European Union. Taxes on energetic products, accounting for 76%, are dominant among ecological taxes. Since the EU Directive 82/92 imposes minimum excise rates on oil products, during the last decade Central Eastern European countries have increased excise rates on fossil fuels and fully engaged in the field of ecological policy.

scholarly journals Genome-Edited Plants: Opportunities and Challenges for an Anticipatory Detection and Identification Framework

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 430
Author(s):  
Alexandra Ribarits ◽  
Michael Eckerstorfer ◽  
Samson Simon ◽  
Walter Stepanek
Keyword(s):  
State Of The Art ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Regulatory Frameworks ◽  
Detection And Identification ◽  
Data Gaps ◽  
Food And Feed ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Gmo Labeling ◽  
The Eu

It is difficult to trace and identify genome-edited food and feed products if relevant information is not made available to competent authorities. This results in major challenges, as genetically modified organism (GMO) regulatory frameworks for food and feed that apply to countries such as the member states of the European Union (EU) require enforcement based on detection. An international anticipatory detection and identification framework for voluntary collaboration and collation of disclosed information on genome-edited plants could be a valuable tool to address these challenges caused by data gaps. Scrutinizing different information sources and establishing a level of information that is sufficient to unambiguously conclude on the application of genome editing in the plant breeding process can support the identification of genome-edited products by complementing the results of analytical detection. International coordination to set up an appropriate state-of-the-art database is recommended to overcome the difficulty caused by the non-harmonized bio-safety regulation requirements of genome-edited food and feed products in various countries. This approach helps to avoid trade disruptions and to facilitate GMO/non-GMO labeling schemes. Implementation of the legal requirements for genome-edited food and feed products in the EU and elsewhere would substantially benefit from such an anticipatory framework.

scholarly journals Substantial Nitrogen Oxide Pollution Is Embodied in the Bilateral Trade between China and the European Union

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 675
Author(s):  
Yan Li ◽  
Yigang Wei ◽  
Xueqing Wang ◽  
Hanxiao Xu
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Nitrogen Oxide ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Pollutant Emissions ◽  
Nox Emissions ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Petroleum Chemical ◽  
Global Pollutant ◽  
The Eu

Against the backdrop of globalization and trade facilitation, the products consumed by a country are more and more relying on the importation of those products from other countries. Therefore, the pollutant emissions of products associated are transferred from consuming countries to exporting countries, which significantly changes the spatial distribution of global pollutant emissions. The objective of this research is to analyse the embodied nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in the trading process between China and the European Union (EU) and to further trace the interindustry and intercountry transfer paths. This study constructs a multiregional input–output (MRIO) model based on the latest EORA global supply chain database. The MRIO model quantitatively analyses the total NOx emissions from the production and consumption ends of China and the EU from 1995 to 2014. Important findings are derived from the empirical results as follows. (1) In 2014, China’s production end emissions were 1824.38 kilotons higher than those of the consumption end. By contrast, the situation in the EU was the opposite, i.e., production end emissions were 1711.97 kilotons lower than those of the consumption end. (2) In the trade between China and the EU, the EU is a net importer of embodied NOx, and China is a net exporter of embodied NOx. In 2014, 2.55% of China’s domestic NOx emissions were transferred to the EU in China-EU trade, accounting for 2.75% of China’s domestic consumption demand. (3) In 2014, Electricity, Gas and Water (397.75 kilotons), Transport (343.55 kilotons), Petroleum, Chemical and non-metallic Products (95.9 kilotons), Metal Products (49.88 kilotons), Textiles and Apparel (26.19 kilotons), are among the industries with the most embodied NOx emissions from China’s net exports during its two-way trade with the EU. (4) In the bilateral trade between the EU and China, many countries are in the state of embodied NOx net import. The top three net importers in 2014 were Germany (169.24 kilotons), Britain (128.11 kilotons), France (103.21 kilotons).

scholarly journals ANALYSIS OF THE MAIN TRENDS OF BIOENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 70-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.A. Zheliezna ◽  
A.I. Bashtovyi
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Production ◽  
Power Production ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Existing Problems ◽  
Expert Estimation ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Eu

Purpose of the paper is to analyze main trends of bioenergy development in the EU, identify successful examples and existing problems and also to suggest some recommendations on implementing the best European practices in Ukraine’s bioenergy sector. State of the art and prospects for the development of bioenergy in the EU-28 until 2030 are presented. It is shown that bioenergy is an important part of European Union’s energy sector and the biggest contributor to renewable energy production. The EU is getting on quite well with achieving its RES 2020 targets set by the Directive 2009/28/EС. By now at least ten counties have already attained their obligatory share of renewable energy in the gross final energy consumption. According to expert estimation, under further pursuing of the favourable policy, the present share of RES in EU’s energy consumption may double and reach about 34% in 2030. Main features of bioenergy part in different EU’s energy production and consumption sectors are analyzed. Traditionally, in the EU, biomass contributes mostly to heat production and its leading part among other RES in the sector is expected to remain beyond 2020. The situation in Ukraine is in line with this trend. The difference is that in the EU most part of heat is produced combined with power, and in Ukraine there are few biomass CHP plants. Besides, power production from biomass is behind other RES in Ukraine in contrast with the EU. Based on the main trends existing in the EU, one can recommend the priority development of biomass CHP to Ukraine and also some higher contribution of biomass to power production compared with other RES. In addition it is suggested that Ukraine should pay more attention to the production and consumption of second generation biofuels and implementation of sustainability criteria in the bioenergy sector.

scholarly journals A System for Personalized Clothing Production as a Model for Supporting the Competitiveness of SMEs on the Example of Lodz Province

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-99
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Kędzia ◽  
Radosław Dziuba
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Clothing Industry ◽  
Innovative Product ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Comparative Advantages ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Product And Process ◽  
The Eu

AbstractPoland’s accession to the European Union has given many opportunities both in terms of access to the EU economy and European funds. Owing to the set sustainable development goals, the business sphere faces the challenge of their implementation through, among others, activities in the area of social and human capital, and environmental protection. It is important to model solutions that enable sustainable production and consumption. The introduction of innovative product and process technologies may contribute to increasing the competitiveness of SMEs in the Textile and Clothing sector, which in consequence should also contribute to the implementation of objectives of the Regional Smart Specializations for Lodz Province. An example of such solutions is the system for personalized production of clothes presented in the article. The aim of the article is to determine the current situation of the Polish clothing industry in trade with the European Union by analyzing comparative advantages for CN 61 and 62 (related to the clothing industry) and presenting the level of innovation of Lodz Province against the background of Poland as a region specializing in the production of clothing under the adopted Regional Smart Specializations for Lodz Province. It is assumed that the presented system for the personalized production of clothing may affect the competitiveness of this industry and the region.

scholarly journals Promoting sustainability from above: reflections on the influence of the European Union on tourism governance

2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Constantia Anastasiadou
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
European Commission ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Eu Policy ◽  
Policy Interventions ◽  
Tourism Policy ◽  
Tourism Governance ◽  
The Eu

Due to the long-standing absence of direct and legally binding competencies in tourism, European Union (EU) tourism policy has mainly influenced tourism governance through indirect interventions and non-binding instruments  (Anastasiadou, 2006, 2008a, b; Halkier, 2010). For example, in October 2007 the European Commission adopted its ‘Agenda for a sustainable and competitive European tourism’ (European Commission, 2007). This communication proposed measures aimed at complementing the EU policy interventions that have consequences for tourism and its sustainability throughout Europe. However, its overall impact on tourism structures has been miniscule; instead, impact on tourism governance has come from elsewhere. 

scholarly journals The impact of biofuels production development in the European Union

2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (No. 4) ◽  
pp. 170-185
Author(s):  
Makutenas Valdemaras ◽  
Miceikiene Astrida ◽  
Svetlanska Tatiana ◽  
Turcekova Natalia ◽  
Sauciunas Tadas
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Strong Correlation ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Biofuel Production ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Food And Feed ◽  
Production Effects ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Eu

The article analyses the effects of the development of biofuel production in the EU (European Union) countries. For this purpose, the authors develop and adapt methodology to determine biofuel production effects considering resource prices, the areas of distribution and employment in the EU. Twenty-seven EU member states are selected for empirical research. Over 98% of production is devoted to first-generation biofuels; therefore, second- and third-generation biofuels are not analysed. The empirical study is carried out by analysing the dynamics of quantitative indicators, and we assess changes in direction by setting the values of qualitative indicators. Quantitative and qualitative indicators are calculated using correlation analysis. The results suggest that the fastest growth of ethanol production in the EU took place in Finland, Ireland and the Netherlands. During the analysed period, Germany and France were the largest producers of ethanol and biodiesel. The regression analysis showed a very strong correlation between the number of jobs created and biofuel production. There is also a very strong correlation between the volume of production of biofuels and land used for biofuel feedstock production. The production of biofuel does not significantly affect food and feed crop prices.  

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