Food security on the agenda of the European Council

Summary:

The current food security crisis is the first to grab the attention of the European Council since it became a formal EU institution in December 2009. Looking at food security discourse in the European Council from 1981 to October 2022, this briefing will consider the main discussion drivers in each decade. Although food security has not been a regular item on the European Council agenda in recent years, it has drawn EU leaders' attention at various points in the past.

The shock to the food system caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine however led to the reappearance of food security on the European Council agenda in the first half of this year, and 2022 has already been a peak year for European Council attention to food security issues, in terms both of meetings and the number of conclusions.

Food security is essential for sustaining human life, but it is also interconnected to a number of important policy areas, including climate, migration, external relations, trade, health and agriculture. Some of these linkages will be touched upon in the briefing.

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