Case: Policy coherence in general

10-10-2011 MEP Imbrasas questions the rise in food prices

Since the UNs Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) started to measure food prices in 1990, the food prices have not been as high as today. Particularly poor people, both in developed and developing countries, suffer from the recent rise in food prices. Food security is a major challenge for the EU, as the first MDG to which the EU committed itself is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.

MEP Juozas Imbrasas (EFD) points out that for the EU to meet this challenge, it is essential to ensure coordination between EU policy in various areas and policy at other levels, particularly the CAP, energy, R & D and trade policies. He therefore asks the Commission to take account of the impact of their policies on food production and food security, especially as regards giving greater impetus to the development of renewable energy and to the achievement of the Europe 2020 objectives. Furthermore he questions the Commissions on the measures they are intending to take on several levels to combat the causes and consequences of rising food prices.

Fair Politics would like to thank MEP Juozas Imbrasas for raising these questions. By doing so, he encourages the Commission to strive for more coherence between the EUs development objectives and EU policies in various other areas. Fair Politics recognizes MEP Imbrasas as fair politician and therefore grants her a point in our monitoring system.

Monitor fair: EFD


Parliamentary questions
30 June 2011
E-006238/2011

Question for written answer
to the Commission

Juozas Imbrasas (EFD)

Subject: Rise in food prices

Food prices, which have risen for seven consecutive months from late 2010 to early 2011, have now reached their highest level since 1990, when the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation first started measuring them. The rise in product prices has become a destabilising factor for the global economy. Food price rises have particularly affected the most vulnerable groups in society, both in the developed countries and in the developing countries, and has made poor people still poorer. Food safety is a major challenge to Europe; to meet this challenge it is essential to ensure coordination between EU policy in various areas and policy at other levels, particularly the CAP, energy, R & D and trade policies.
Does not the Commission consider that in giving a greater impetus to the development of renewable energies and to the achievement of the 2020 objectives, it is also essential to take account of the impact on food production and food security? What measures does the Commission propose to take to resolve the problems linked to food and fuel, while striking a balance between the two? Will the Commission seek to achieve greater clarity by setting out all the factors which affect the short- and long-term volatility of food prices, particularly as regards the extent of interaction between all forms of speculation and the price volatility of agricultural products, and between the energy markets and food prices? What necessary measures does the Commission propose to take to combat excessive speculation on the raw materials markets? Farmers incomes from the food supply chain have dropped considerably, while the profits of processers and retailers continue to rise. What necessary measures does the Commission plan to guarantee farmers their essential income and ensure that the power of processers and retailers is curbed?