What the EU’s 2024-2025 Term Could Imply for Sports Foods Businesses

This summer saw the beginning of a new political era in the EU, marked by the European elections in June and Ursula von der Leyen’s reappointment as President of the European Commission in July. This article delves into some of the new Commission’s policy goals affecting the sector and assesses their feasibility by examining the outcomes of the previous Commission cycle and the shifting political landscape in Brussels following the EU elections. Here is what the industry can anticipate from the Commission’s changing policy objectives.

The Commission’s Political Guidelines: a focus on sustainability

On July 18, von der Leyen was re-elected as President of the European Commission. In her address to the European Parliament, she outlined her plans for the next five years, highlighted in the Commission’s Political Guidelines 2024-2029, with a particular emphasis on sustainability. Unlike the previous cycle, von der Leyen’s sustainability agenda centers on promoting business and competition.

For example, von der Leyen has pledged to introduce the Clean Industrial Plan within the first 100 days of the Commission’s term to support the simultaneous decarbonization and industrialization of the EU economy. The Commission aims to assist companies in achieving their sustainability objectives through investments in raw materials and ensuring access to affordable, sustainable, and reliable energy sources. These measures are intended to help businesses reach sustainability goals set in previous policy cycles. Additionally, von der Leyen’s proposed Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act aims to aid industries and businesses in transitioning to a cleaner, more environmentally friendly format.

These policies will play a significant role for sports and nutrition businesses as they endeavor to integrate previous sustainability policies, reports, and regulations into their business strategies. The initiatives aim to make green energy and raw materials more affordable, accessible, and domestically produced in the EU, thereby assisting companies in reducing their carbon footprint without incurring significant additional costs. Additionally, they seek to boost the competitiveness of the EU’s food value chain and SMEs in the sector while promoting internal EU markets.

How will the new European Parliament influence von Der Leyen’s plans?

While the new Commission has unveiled ambitious plans for business and competition policies, questions remain regarding their implementation. It is noteworthy that the previous Commission often delayed or failed to fully implement targets set in key policy initiatives impacting the food industry, such as the Farm to Fork Strategy and Sustainable Food Systems Framework.

The inability of the previous Commission to secure the European Parliament’s support for its policy objectives, leading to conflicts and compromises in the Parliament, may have contributed to the failure of these ambitions. For instance, measures like mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labeling and nutrient profiles were postponed due to differences among EU member states on what constitutes a healthy diet.

In light of these challenges, expectations from the Political Guidelines 2024-2029 promoting EU food supply chains and sustainable energy should be tempered, given the past Commission’s actions and recent parliamentary election results. With a more Eurosceptic and populist Parliament, achieving harmonization in food and sustainability may be challenging in the coming years.

Looking forward, the European Commission’s Work Programme release in November and December will be pivotal for businesses and industry stakeholders, offering insights into upcoming policies affecting the sports nutrition industry. This will be a crucial time for sports and active nutrition businesses to engage with decision-makers and influence policy initiatives that impact them.

In September, ESSNA will launch an outreach program with members outlining priorities for the sports and active nutrition industry for the EU’s term 2024–2029. Companies interested in shaping the future of the sector can contact ESSNA at vasb@rffan.pbz.