The Commission has developed a plan to strengthen the resilience, strategic autonomy and sustainability of the EU protein system.
By scaling up sustainable domestic protein production, diversifying import sources, reinforcing the supply chain, the EU will create new economic, environmental and rural opportunities across the European protein value chain.
Why reduce the EU’s dependency on imported plant-based protein?
The European Union (EU) is home to one of the most competitive and sustainable agricultural production systems in the world. However, this strength is constrained by dependencies on imports of high-protein animal feed from a limited number of origins.
Dependencies not only make the EU’s agri-food system vulnerable to global market fluctuations, but they also affect the capacity to avoid supply chains disruptions and limit progress on the sustainability transition.
As announced in the Vision for Agriculture and Food, the Commission has developed the Protein Action Plan to address various challenges, integrating policy, research and on the ground efforts to create a more autonomous and sustainable EU protein system, while at the same time diversifying the sources of imports.
Scaling up the EU’s sustainable plant-based protein production will:
- contribute to the EU objectives of food security and energy,
- create new opportunities for farmers and rural areas and
- contribute to the climate neutrality goal by 2050.
Key figures
- The EU currently produces 67 million tonnes of plant-based protein from arable crops and fodder crops, while using around 80 million tonnes for feed, food and industrial purposes.
- The EU livestock sector uses 74 million of tonnes of protein as animal feed per year.
All volumes refer to crude protein, which refers to the total protein content in crops.
All the figures in the action plan are further detailed in the factsheet demand and supply of protein in the EU.
Factsheet on the different types of protein, plant and animal, as well as their usages as food and feed, and their production, consumption, import, export and the different market segments.
Fact 1: livestock is the main user of plant protein
Most plant-based protein grown or imported is used to feed livestock. This sector depends heavily on roughage grown in the EU and on imported high-protein feed (oilseeds and protein crops), above all soya meals. The EU is self-sufficient in low-protein content feed but largely dependent on imports for high-protein feed (oilseeds and protein crops): 74% of those used in the EU are imported.
- About 70% of the crude protein from cereals, oilseeds and pulses produced and consumed in the EU goes to feed.
- Rapeseed is the main protein-rich crop grown in the EU, far ahead of soya.
Fact 2: the EU is dependent on high-protein feed imports
The EU is dependent on imports for a significant share of high-protein feed materials, including oilseeds and protein crops. In 2025, only 25% of protein from oilseeds and protein crops were sourced in the EU.
Soya production and trade are highly concentrated globally: six countries produce 90 % of world soya.
- Soya, one of the main high-protein plants, is by far the most imported protein crop (94%). In 2024-25, the EU imported 13.4 million tonnes of soya bean and soya meal protein, with Brazil, Argentina and the United States suppling most of it.
- For high-protein feed materials, only around 33% originate in the EU, while 67% comes from outside the EU.
Fact 3: the EU neighbourhood can help diversify the EU’s sources of supply
The EU neighbourhood offers opportunities to diversify the EU’s current reliance on major soya bean exporters.
- With a production of 13.5 million tonnes of plant-based protein and exports accounting for 60% of this production, Ukraine could take a larger role in the EU plant-based protein imports.
- In a perspective accession, Ukraine could increase the EU’s autonomy on plant-based protein from 76% to 86%.
Protein Action Plan
The EU protein system of the future is built on the following pillars which will in turn make circularity and climate action economically attractive and worthwhile for farmers.
With this plan, the EU aims to increase the share of protein from oilseeds and protein crops produced in the EU and used as animal feed from 25.8% to 35% by 2035.
Expanding sustainable EU protein supply
The EU’s capacity to increase its strategic autonomy requires:
- providing incentives for farmers through a range of CAP tools to promote EU production of pulses, and soya, prioritising crops suited to local conditions to increase EU supply and reduce fertiliser needs as well as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions;
- strengthening the EU protein value chain giving EU countries funding options to support storage and processing infrastructure while letting them make greater use of contracts between farmers and other actors of the protein crop value chain to reduce risks when switching to those crops;
- enhancing grassland and livestock integration through support to extensive systems where possible to valorise grasslands, contribute to lower imports, boost carbon sequestration and rural livelihood.
Improving the resilience and competitiveness of supply chains
Resilience and competitiveness of the EU protein system are strongly linked to efficiencies in feed, breeding and innovation. The EU will build on this by:
- diversifying the origins of imports via strengthened partnerships with key suppliers, potential of larger Ukraine role,
- aligning production and sustainability standards,
- adapting livestock systems to prioritise local resources,
- addressing the EU’s dependency on feed additives and
- harnessing the potential of greater circularity in supply chains via a better use of
- biofuels to encourage increased production of EU grown sustainable biofuels, protein crops and feedstocks and
- the bioeconomy to support more efficient use of biomass.
Implementing demand-side measures
Increasing availability of domestic plant-based proteins would increase consumer choice and accessibility through:
- origin labelling,
- public procurement prioritising local sustainable proteins and
- awareness raising campaigns on the of funding opportunities for EU promotion campaigns highlighting the health and sustainability benefits of EU pulses and nutritional benefits.
Advancing research and innovation to strengthen protein systems
EU Research Framework Programmes, Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, have invested over EUR 190 million to support research and innovation on protein crops. Targeted research and innovation investment is needed to boost protein crop production and use.
The plan includes:
- investing in crop innovation and seeds to boost production and resilience among other in plant breeding, seed development, fertiliser reduction, sustainable crop protection and value-chain development.
strengthening collaboration and knowledge transfer across actors notably with the upcoming new Strategic Approach to Research and Innovation for agriculture, forests, rural areas and food systems.
Strengthening policy coordination and monitoring
With a view to reducing their dependency on imported plant-based protein, greater coordination is needed to:
- enhance integration and synergies through the National and Regional Partnership (NRP) plan and,
- develop monitoring through:
- annual protein dialogues with EU countries,
- regular market observatory for cereals, oilseeds and protein crops and
- benchmarking of 35% EU-sourced high-protein feed by 2035.
CAP interventions
One of the objectives of the CAP is to decrease the import-dependency on plant proteins.
In July 2025, the Commission presented its proposal for a common agricultural policy (CAP) for the period after 2027 within the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) from 2028 to 2034.
A review of the instruments in the CAP post-2027 and other National and Regional Partnership (NRP) Plans actions to develop the protein crop sector and the Union’s plant-based protein autonomy.
Research and innovation
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.
Study on feeding strategies
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.
Closing the EU protein gap – drivers, synergies and trade-offs
Farmers' stories
Austria cut emissions, strengthened EU protein production and reduced reliance on imported soya by changing what hens eat. Here's how coordination transformed a supply chain.
A Romanian farm shows how transhumance, local feed and traditional grazing can strengthen biodiversity and resilient farming.
Timeline
- 2026
The Commission publishes the Protein Action Plan.
- 2024
To feed the analysis on the EU plant protein policy, the Commission published a study on diversifying sources of protein feed.
- 2022
The Commission announced in its Communication on food security its intention to review the policy and priorities identified in this report.
- 2018
The Commission presented a report on plant proteins in the EU.
