What is the EU plant based action plan?

December 20, 2025 •

3 min read

With an estimated 80% of Europeans not consuming enough plant-based foods, a coalition of over 130 organizations is urging the European Commission to adopt a comprehensive EU plant based action plan. This blueprint, presented in 2025, aims to create a healthier, more sustainable, and resilient food system from farm to table by boosting plant-based food production and consumption.

Quick Summary

An unofficial blueprint for an EU plant-based action plan, backed by numerous organizations, calls for coordinated measures to strengthen plant-based food chains across the EU.

Key Points

Stakeholder-Driven Proposal: A coalition of over 130 organizations, not an official EU policy, proposed the EU plant based action plan in 2025.
Farmer Support: The plan aims to support farmers, especially younger ones, in diversifying and transitioning to growing more plant-based crops for human consumption through financial incentives and education.
Boost Consumer Demand: Measures are proposed to make plant-based foods more affordable and accessible through policies on VAT, public procurement, and improved food labelling.
Investment and Innovation: The blueprint calls for increased public and private investment in research and innovation across the entire plant-based value chain.
Strategic Autonomy: By increasing domestic production of plant proteins for food, the plan aims to strengthen the EU's food security and reduce its dependence on imported feed.
Holistic Approach: Unlike the narrower focus of the EU's protein strategy, the proposed action plan takes a comprehensive, whole-system approach from production to consumption.
Environmental and Health Benefits: The plan highlights benefits such as reducing agricultural emissions, improving soil health, cutting healthcare costs associated with poor diets, and contributing to overall sustainability.

The Push for an EU Plant-Based Action Plan

The concept of an EU plant based action plan is a proposal, not a current EU policy, developed by a coalition of organizations including civil society, consumer groups, and businesses. This initiative complements the European Commission's protein strategy, which focuses mainly on animal feed. The proposal emerged after a dialogue on the future of EU agriculture in 2025 highlighted the need for a more sustainable agri-food sector. The plan aims to boost regional supply, support farmers, increase consumer demand, and encourage investment. Supporters believe it is essential for achieving EU climate goals, improving health, and enhancing food security by reducing reliance on imported proteins.

Key Objectives of the Proposed Plan

The blueprint suggests several goals for the EU food system.

Supporting Farmers and Production

The plan intends to support farmers transitioning to plant-based food production through financial aid, rewarding eco-friendly methods, improving access to advice, and promoting long-term partnerships.

Boosting Consumer Demand

Making healthy, plant-based foods more affordable and accessible is a key part of the plan. Proposed measures include reducing VAT on these products, favoring them in public procurement, improving labeling, and funding public education.

Investing in the Plant-Based Value Chain

To position the EU as a leader, the plan calls for investment in research and innovation, strengthening connections in the value chain, and mobilizing funding from public and private sources, possibly including a new dedicated EU fund.

The Broader Context: Connecting with Existing Strategies

This proposed action plan is designed to align with current EU strategies like Farm to Fork and the European Green Deal. It specifically complements the EU Protein Strategy, which focuses on reducing the EU's dependence on imported plant proteins, mainly for animal feed. While the protein strategy seeks overall protein self-sufficiency, the plant-based action plan specifically targets increasing plant-based foods for direct human consumption.

Here is a comparison of the proposed EU Plant-Based Action Plan and the EU Protein Strategy:


Feature	Proposed EU Plant-Based Action Plan	EU Protein Strategy
Primary Focus	Comprehensive approach addressing the entire agri-food value chain for human consumption.	Focuses primarily on strengthening protein production for both food and animal feed.
Scope	Holistic, covering production, processing, retail, public procurement, and consumer demand.	Broader, covering protein crops, feed additives, and different protein sources including insects and microbes.
Market Driver	Seeks to boost demand for plant-based foods by making them more accessible, affordable, and well-labeled.	Aims to reduce EU import dependency by boosting domestic production and innovation.
Farmer Incentives	Calls for specific support and rewards for farmers diversifying into plant-based crops for human consumption.	Offers support via the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for protein crop cultivation generally, including for feed.
Policy Coherence	Aims to ensure EU-wide policy consistency to align with national dietary guidelines.	Seeks to improve protein supply resilience and market dynamics.

Conclusion

The proposed EU plant based action plan represents a push by numerous stakeholders for a more sustainable and resilient European food system. By addressing both the supply and demand for plant-based foods, the blueprint aims to support farmers, protect the environment, and improve public health. Though a proposal now, its momentum suggests it could influence future EU policy. If adopted, it could position the EU as a leader in sustainable agri-food systems and benefit stakeholders.

For more detailed information on the blueprint, you can refer to the official document published by {Link: BEUC https://www.beuc.eu/sites/default/files/publications/BEUC-X-2025-056_Blueprint_EU_Action_Plan_for_Plant-based_Foods.pdf}.

Frequently Asked Questions

The proposal for an EU plant based action plan originated from a coalition of over 130 organizations, including environmental, consumer, and industry groups, who presented a blueprint in January and June 2025.

No, it is not an official policy but a proposal. The blueprint was developed by a large coalition of stakeholders to urge the European Commission and member states to adopt such a plan.

While the EU Protein Strategy broadly covers protein production for both food and animal feed, the proposed action plan focuses specifically on the entire plant-based food value chain for human consumption.

Proponents suggest the plan would strengthen food security, improve public health outcomes, reduce environmental impacts like emissions and soil degradation, and provide new economic opportunities for farmers.

The plan suggests offering targeted financial incentives, improving technical support and advice, rewarding sustainable practices, and helping farmers build long-term supply partnerships with food companies.

Proposed measures include lowering VAT on plant-based foods, updating public procurement policies, improving food labelling, and funding educational campaigns.

The blueprint suggests mobilizing funding through a combination of public sources, such as CAP and Horizon Europe, and private investment, potentially creating a new dedicated EU fund.

Yes, the proposed plan is framed to align with and build upon the goals of the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy, addressing sustainability and health objectives.

The plan includes a wide range of plant-based foods, from whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and legumes to plant-based alternatives to animal products.