The Netherlands is the only one to support less EU advertising for red meat and wine

Despite opposition from at least 19 EU countries, the European Commission continues to plan to abolish the EU subsidy for most meat products and wine. The Netherlands is the only EU member state that fully agrees with the new course to focus food advertising budgets more on 'healthy and sustainable'.

Last month it was announced that the European Commission no longer wants to spend money on 'advertising red meat and wine'. In doing so, the Commission is in line with a recent resolution of the European Parliament in which – in the fight against cancer – it was argued that the consumption of 'more healthy food' should be encouraged. 

At the monthly meeting of European agriculture ministers last Monday in Brussels, 19 ministers argued with numerous arguments that the current criteria should be maintained. Some countries had even written official letters of protest against the new advertising policy. 

As a result, Commissioners Sinkevicius (Environment), Kyriakides (Health) and Wojciechowski (Agriculture) are caught between the opposing views of the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. The problem for both legislators is that budgets within approved budgets are a competence of the Commission: it can decide for itself.

The Dutch minister Henk Staghouwer was the only one to say that he did not agree with the plea of his 19 colleagues. The Netherlands supports the Commission in aligning their advertising budgets more closely with the new course of Green Deal, GLB and farm-to-fork.

The focus must be shifted to 'more sustainable', Staghouwer emphasized. He also pointed out that, since 2014, the Netherlands has believed that advertising budgets are primarily a task for the industry. 

At the end of the round of talks, as well as after the closing press conference, French President Julien Denormandie put considerable verbal pressure on Commissioner Wojciechowski, concluding that the Council of Ministers was 'nearly unanimous' and that the European Commission should not make exceptions. make for meat and wine. 

Denormandie said to a French reporter that there is only one country against European 'red meat advertising', without naming the Netherlands. Wojciechowski did not say he would withdraw the proposal.