Reducing the plant protein deficit of the European Union

The European arable crop sector supplied 64 million tonnes of crude protein (protein content in crops) in 2023-24. The main part of this volume comes from roughage, followed by cereals and oilseeds. Dry pulses only represent 1.1 million tonnes.

However, this volume does not cover all the EU needs of the food, feed and industrial sectors. To cover its plant protein deficit, the European Union imports plant-based products that amount to 19 million tonnes of crude protein.

In 2018, the European Commission presented a report on plant proteins in the EU. To further reduce the plant protein deficit of the EU, and to ensure a more resilient food system, the Commission announced in its Communication on food security its intention to review the policy and priorities identified in this report. This review has a comprehensive scope, looking at the supply and demand side, both on the feed and food segment.

In this context, the Commission has prepared factsheets to provide data concerning the supply and demand of proteins for food and feed, to report on the interventions of the common agricultural policy (CAP) to decrease the EU deficit on plant proteins, to describe the European Union research and innovation activities in the field of supply and demand of protein, and to highlight initiatives that EU countries are taking as regards their protein policies.

To feed the analysis on the EU plant protein policy, the Commission also published a study on diversifying sources of protein feed.

The review of the plant protein policy requires collecting data on the supply and demand of protein in the EU. This data analysis covers the different types of protein, plant and animal, as well as their usages as food and feed, and their production, consumption, import, export, and presents the different market segments.

To meet this need, the Commission has prepared the following factsheet that provides data concerning the supply and demand of proteins for food and feed.

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Crops market observatory

Oilseeds and Protein Crops Balance Sheets

Production and trade data on rapeseed, soya beans, sunflower seeds, broad beans and peas

One of the objectives of the CAP is to decrease the import-dependency on plant proteins. Several measures are available, to support the protein crops sector and the development of plant proteins.

In their CAP Strategic Plan (CSP), EU countries have designed various tools to help the development of protein crops:

• investment support under rural development or sectoral operational programmes to support the sustainable and competitive development of the sector,
• eco-schemes rewarding the integration of legumes in rotations,
• coupled income support (CIS) helping the protein crop sector to improve its competitiveness. The CAP regulation facilitates its use for protein crops.

The following factsheet provides an overview of the CSPs interventions to decrease the EU deficit on plant protein.

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CAP Strategic Plans by country

Income support to EU farmers

The transition to more sustainable and resilient protein supply and demand systems requires coordinated action at all governance levels, across policy fields and the whole food chain. Several initiatives at national and regional level related to sustainable and resilient protein supply and demand are already being implemented.

The factsheet on EU countries initiatives offers an overview of current and planned national and regional initiatives in this domain.

Through the research programmes Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe and the European Innovation Partnership, the European Union funds projects to develop competitive and sustainable farming systems and food chains that participate to the reduction of the EU dependency on imported plant protein.

The factsheet on research and innovation offers an overview of the European Union research and innovation activities in the field of supply and demand of protein.

Adapting feeding strategies could help reducing the plant protein deficit of the EU. The Commission has therefore published a study conducted by an external research consortium, which provides a comprehensive analysis of the factors guiding the choices of farmers and other actors in the chain and options to support the EU production of protein feed. The feeding strategies reflect the diversity of the EU crop and livestock sectors.

JRC technical report

With the Commission reviewing its plant protein policy, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) explored potential synergies and trade-offs within a food systems’ approach by assessing the combined impacts of key scenarios that assume an increased protein crop production, changes in feed ratios, altered livestock production systems and transition towards a more sustainable diet.