Working Group Meeting: Agriculture, Nutrition and Consumers (AgriNutriCom)

The SME Connect Working Group on Agriculture, Nutrition & Consumers (AgriNutriCom) held its first meeting of the year on 9 April 2025 in a hybrid format, bringing together stakeholders from across Europe, Africa, and beyond. The session took place both at the SME Connect Office in Brussels and online. Dr. Horst Heitz opened the meeting with introductory remarks, welcoming participants and emphasizing the Working Group’s growing relevance amid global challenges in agriculture, food systems, and consumer health.

The meeting was also notable for being the first session chaired by Kristian Vigenin, Member of the European Parliament, who recently assumed the role of Chair of the Working Group. In his opening remarks, he highlighted the importance of developing solutions that support both SMEs and consumers, strengthen food system resilience, and ensure that EU policymaking responds to global and geopolitical realities. He stressed the need for dialogue between policymakers, businesses, consumer groups, and civil society.

Following this, participants briefly introduced themselves and their organizations. The group represented a broad cross-section of the ecosystem, including the food supplement and fortified foods sector, agricultural associations from Europe and Africa, innovation networks, and policy experts from public and private institutions. New members were welcomed, reflecting the WG’s ambition to broaden international cooperation and stakeholder diversity.

The core discussions of the meeting followed the structure of the official agenda. A central item was the European Commission’s vision for agriculture and food, which participants described as strategic and comprehensive but in need of clearer operational focus. Some stakeholders expressed concern that the food sector is not sufficiently distinguished from agriculture in current policy framing. Others highlighted potential negative impacts of new rules, such as country-of-origin labelling, which could disproportionately burden small businesses.

Rising food prices constituted another major theme. Participants discussed the complex interplay between climate change, global instability, supply chain constraints, the war in Ukraine, and regulatory pressure—such as the EU’s deforestation regulation. Several contributors criticized large retail chains for exerting significant market power, squeezing both producers and end consumers. In some countries, policymakers are even exploring caps on retail profit margins, though this approach remains controversial.

The conversation then turned toward global trade and strategic cooperation. The Working Group touched on the importance of strengthening EU trade ties with Ukraine and African partner countries to reinforce food security and supply chain resilience. The African Union’s CAADP Kampala Declaration (2025–2035) was highlighted as an essential framework for Africa’s agrifood system transformation and as a key area for EU-Africa cooperation. Participants agreed that global collaboration should remain a central focus of the Working Group.

Another major discussion point concerned front-of-pack (FOP) labels such as Nutri-Score. Several participants warned that expanding mandatory FOP labelling could undermine traditional or local food producers and risk oversimplifying complex nutritional information. The group emphasized the need for labelling systems that protect consumers without harming SMEs or regional food cultures.

The issue of ultra-processed foods was also debated. Stakeholders acknowledged legitimate health concerns but advocated for a more nuanced approach that distinguishes necessary processing—such as for safety or preservation—from harmful practices. This tied into broader reflections on nutrition, obesity, and the role of fortified foods and food supplements. Several speakers underlined how affordability and nutritional quality increasingly intersect, especially for lower-income consumers in both developed and developing countries.

The meeting concluded with a call for members to identify priority topics for future sessions. There was strong interest in developing concrete policy recommendations and creating structured channels for stakeholder input into EU policymaking. Chair Kristian Vigenin thanked participants for their contributions and expressed his intention to guide the Working Group toward practical, globally informed outcomes over the coming months.