In February 2025, the European Commission unveiled its latest strategic Vision for Agriculture and Food, laying out plans for the continent’s agri-food sector over the next five years and beyond. This announcement follows the extensive Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture—a consultative process involving a broad spectrum of stakeholders, from farmers and industry representatives to environmental groups and policy experts. While the Commission’s Vision marks a significant policy milestone, it falls short of the ambitious tone and scope reflected in the Strategic Dialogue report. Notably, the Vision lacks a robust food systems approach, an omission that experts warn could hinder Europe’s ability to meet sustainability and health objectives in an integrated and effective manner.
The Strategic Dialogue process produced a comprehensive report characterized by its holistic and ambitious outlook on reforming Europe’s agricultural and food systems. It emphasized the interconnectivity between environmental sustainability, human health, economic viability, and social equity. This contrasts with the Commission’s Vision, which, although well-intentioned, adopts a narrower frame centered primarily on agricultural productivity and regulatory modernization. The failure to fully adopt a food systems perspective raises concerns among scientists and advocates who see an integrated approach as essential to addressing the multifaceted challenges facing the sector, including climate change, biodiversity loss, public health crises, and social inclusion.
Agricultural systems in Europe are increasingly recognized as complex adaptive systems, where changes in one component ripple across ecosystems, markets, and societies. A food systems approach transcends traditional sectoral boundaries, linking production, processing, distribution, consumption, and waste management in a dynamic, interconnected framework. The omission of this perspective in the Commission’s Vision risks perpetuating siloed policies that may not achieve the necessary transformational change. Indeed, recent research underscores the critical need to adopt systems thinking to foster innovation, resilience, and sustainability in food supply chains.
One of the most pressing imperatives highlighted by the Strategic Dialogue is the urgent need to align agricultural practices with the European Green Deal’s climate and biodiversity targets. Despite ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and halt biodiversity decline by 2030, the Commission’s Vision provides limited detail on how these targets will be operationally embedded within agri-food policy. Scientists emphasize that without explicit, measurable commitments and a food systems lens, the Vision risks falling short of environmental aspirations and undermining the resilience of rural landscapes.
Furthermore, the Vision’s narrow framing inadequately addresses the nexus between agriculture and public health, particularly concerning nutrition and food safety. The Strategic Dialogue report advocates for policies that promote sustainable diets—balanced, diverse, and rich in plant-based foods—which are essential to mitigating chronic diseases and reducing environmental footprints. Yet, the Commission’s Vision remains cautiously circumscribed in addressing dietary transitions, focusing predominantly on supply-side measures rather than demand-side behavioral change. This disconnect weakens the potential health benefits embedded in a truly integrated food policy.
Economic sustainability also commands attention within the broader discourse around EU agriculture. European farmers face mounting challenges, from volatile global markets to increasing input costs and labor shortages. The Strategic Dialogue envisions a future where economic resilience is buttressed by diversified farming systems, value chain innovation, and fair income distribution. The Commission’s Vision, while acknowledging these challenges, stops short of proposing transformative economic models, risking perpetuation of structural inequities and market vulnerabilities.
In terms of technology and innovation, the Vision recognizes the potential of digital tools, precision agriculture, and biotechnology to enhance productivity and sustainability. However, experts caution that technological advancements alone are insufficient without systemic integration and policy coherence across sectors. The Strategic Dialogue highlights the importance of embedding innovations within a framework that supports social acceptance, environmental protection, and equitable access, fostering a truly sustainable digital transformation of agriculture.
The social dimension of farming and rural life is another critical element addressed by the broader dialogue but underrepresented in the Commission’s Vision. Rural communities are not merely production units but living spaces rich in culture and social capital. The Strategic Dialogue underscores the need for inclusive policies that empower farmers, enhance gender equity, and support generational renewal. In contrast, the Vision’s limited focus on social factors risks marginalizing rural voices and weakening social cohesion essential for sustainable transitions.
Food waste reduction and circular economy principles are integral to sustainable food systems, yet they receive only cursory attention in the Vision. Strategies to minimize post-harvest losses, valorize by-products, and promote closed-loop nutrient cycles are central themes within the Strategic Dialogue’s recommendations. These approaches contribute significantly to resource efficiency and climate mitigation but are insufficiently prioritized in the Commission’s current framing.
Globally interconnected supply chains present both opportunities and risks for Europe’s food security. The Vision addresses external dependencies and trade pragmatically but does not fully engage with the complexities of global food governance and fairness. The Strategic Dialogue calls for enhanced international cooperation and ethical trade practices, emphasizing the shared responsibility to build resilient, just, and sustainable food systems at the planetary scale.
Scientific stakeholders stand ready to collaborate with policymakers and other actors to bridge existing gaps and strengthen the Vision’s framework. They advocate for the inclusion of rigorous evidence and systems analysis to inform policy design and implementation, ensuring that the European food system delivers for human and planetary health. Transparent monitoring, adaptive management, and participatory governance are key pillars for successful transformation.
In light of these reflections, the European Commission’s Vision signals an important step, yet it requires further elaboration and alignment with comprehensive, system-wide strategies. Integrating environmental, social, economic, and health dimensions in a coherent food systems approach is indispensable. Only through such integration can Europe navigate the unprecedented challenges of the 21st century and spearhead a resilient and equitable agri-food future.
Climate action, biodiversity preservation, and nutrition security are not discrete policy compartments but interdependent goals. The omission of a holistic approach risks undermining synergistic opportunities for co-benefits and may entrench trade-offs detrimental to long-term sustainability. Scientists call for a recalibration of the Vision’s ambitions to embed these interconnections explicitly.
Importantly, the policy discourse must transcend technocratic boundaries to engage citizens and communities in shaping food system futures. Democratic deliberation and social innovation are critical to foster legitimacy, acceptance, and behavioral change. The Commission’s Vision would benefit from stronger commitments to participatory governance and support for bottom-up initiatives that harness local knowledge and innovation.
In conclusion, while the European Commission’s 2025 Vision for Agriculture and Food establishes a forward-looking platform, realizing the full potential of Europe’s agri-food transformation demands an integrated, evidence-based, and inclusive approach. Scientists are prepared to contribute their expertise and partner with all stakeholders to co-create a resilient, sustainable, and health-promoting food system that can serve as a global exemplar for the decades to come.
Article References:
van Zanten, H.H.E., Duncan, J., van Meijl, H. et al. Scientific reflection on the European Commission’s Vision for Agriculture and Food. Nat Food 6, 653–656 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-025-01189-w
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