Brussels, November 13, 2020

How can the EU's trade policy help to ensure greater animal welfare, consumer protection and sustainability in agriculture? This was one of the key questions discussed today by Manuela Ripa, MEP for the Ecological Democratic Party (ÖDP), in conversation with Matthias Wolfschmidt, Director of International Campaigns at Foodwatch International.

Ripa and Wolfschmidt agreed that politicians must finally bring about a systemic change in agriculture, particularly with regard to the way livestock is kept. As the world's largest agricultural exporter, the European Union must also explicitly ensure that higher standards are rigorously adhered to not only for its own market, but also for export products. EU policy must start to see the bigger picture with regard to ambitious climate and biodiversity targets and treat its own agricultural and trade policies as important building blocks for overcoming these challenges.

In her position as a substitute member of the European Parliament's Committee on International Trade, Manuela Ripa is committed to ensuring that factors such as improved animal welfare and reduced CO2 emissions are given greater consideration in the EU's import and export policy.

In this context, Manuela Ripa also presented her proposal for an EU-wide standardized, mandatory animal welfare label for meat products which would use visual representations to inform consumers about how farm animals are kept.