ProVeg EU Policy
Content
What we do, why & how
What
In its policy work, ProVeg advocates and communicates the potential of the transition to more plant-based foods and lifestyles for addressing crucial topics such as the sustainability of food systems, the economic viability of farmers’ livelihoods, nutrition and health aspects as well as environmental protection, climate protection, and resource conservation.
Why
ProVeg’s EU policy team focuses on proactively supporting the EU towards a more plant-forward food system, according to the Farm to Fork Strategy and Beating Cancer Plan, producing systemic food change in Europe and becoming a role model globally.
How
We work on long-term involvement with policy-makers, governmental and intergovernmental agencies, NGOs and researchers on the food and agriculture files active within the EU institutions. We collaborate closely with our European ProVeg offices and partner organizations, to influence and advocate for a transition to more resilient food systems, with a focus on plant-based diets. ProVeg is also a member of the European Vegetarian Union (EVU) and co-founder of the European Alliance for Plant-Based Foods (EAPF) in 2020, working with NGOs, plant-based manufacturers and researchers towards a healthy and more plant-based European food system.
Our approach
Drawing on our expertise and collaborations with all stakeholders, including the scientific community, businesses, investors, fellow NGOs, and policymakers, we:
- Offer science-based information to promote policies that yield healthier, more sustainable diets in the EU, providing policymakers with clear science-based evidence of the benefits of plant-based diets for nutrition, consumers and farmers.
- Advocate for the inclusion of plant-based foods in commonly identified regional and national policy initiatives.
- Collaborate with our ever-expanding network of NGOs, corporations, and other relevant stakeholders in our shared policy goals.
- Maximise visibility, awareness and interest among policymakers on the topic of plant-based and cultivated proteins.
- Communicate regularly across Europe, to inform the general public and the media about the benefits of plant-based diets for nutrition and sustainability, as well as simplifying and raising awareness about complex legislative agendas at the local and EU levels.
Our work in numbers
Veggie Challenge
The Veggie Challenge app is introducing plant-based eating to people around the world.
Our programme & Impact
Our work aims to support:
- Consumers within the EU: ensuring access to sustainable, nutritious, tasty plant-based products and alternative proteins, with clear labelling.
- Members of civil society: providing a leading voice of plant-based policy advocacy within the EU, to support and collaborate with civil society organizations in EU Policy lobby work.
- Plant-based industry: offering science-based solutions, research, and expertise to support businesses across the entire value chain to expand their offerings of sustainable, nutritious, tasty plant-based products within the EU.
- EU and local policymakers: informing and influencing policymakers about the importance of promoting sustainable, nutritious diets and on avoiding restrictive and harmful policies, such as recent attempts at plant-based censorships so that EU consumers continue to have access to plant-based products that are properly labelled and informative. As such we work on the below fields:
ProVeg is a not-for-profit and global charity working to transform the global food system by promoting plant-based and cultured alternatives. We welcome collaboration with all stakeholders to advance plant-based diets, including corporations. We do not represent or accept corporate funding to guide our EU policy activities.
To contribute to its EU policy activities, ProVeg is registered under the EU lobby transparency register under the following registration number: 988324839304-12
The ProVeg EU Policy Team
Lucia Hortelano
EU Policy Manager
Lucia is responsible for furthering ProVeg’s mission to transform the food system in support of a better world by helping to shape policy at the EU level. She works on developing and promoting the growth of the plant-based and cultured food sector into the EU agenda by influencing relevant agriculture, consumer, environmental and health policies. Lucia acquired her extensive knowledge of EU food and environmental policy and legislation in her previous policy and public affairs roles at various industry associations and European institutions.
Stephanie Maw
Policy Manager for EU and UN Affairs
Stephanie brings together UN and EU policy advocacy at ProVeg. She focuses on harmonising and strengthening efforts between ProVeg’s international teams in order to promote the transformative potential of plant-rich food systems more effectively.
Building on many years of experience in fighting farm animal suffering, Stephanie is passionate about advocating for a shift to more plant-based diets and food production as a multi-problem solution: for the environment, health, animal welfare and justice. To achieve this, she engages with politicians, governments and policymakers on food-related issues and works to influence climate change negotiations at COP and other key events. Additionally, she leads several collaboration projects with partner organisations and co-chairs the Food & Climate Action Group with over 22 international NGOs.
A plant-based food lover and language nerd, Stephanie also enjoys Latin dancing and playing tennis, discovering nature and learning about history, culture and art.
Our partners
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