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Europe Must to Produce More of Its Own Protein — A New Strategy for Food Security
The EU’s new livestock and protein plans aim to reduce dependence on imported feed, strengthen farmers and make Europe’s food system more resilient.
By A. Durand, eEuropa
Bruxelles, 15 July 2026 - 6 MINUTES READ
Bruxelles, 15 July 2026 - 6 MINUTES READ
Europe’s livestock farmers are facing a difficult combination of rising production costs, volatile international markets, animal diseases, climate pressures and growing demands for higher environmental and animal-welfare standards. At the same time, many European farms continue to depend heavily on imported high-protein animal feed.
The European Commission now wants to change this situation.
On 7 July 2026, it presented a new EU Livestock Strategy, accompanied by a Protein Action Plan. Together, the initiatives are intended to protect livestock farming, expand European production of protein crops and reduce strategic dependence on external suppliers.
The proposals were discussed by EU agriculture ministers at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council of 13 July 2026. Ministers broadly supported the objective of strengthening Europe’s food security and strategic autonomy, while calling for adequate financing and practical measures capable of rewarding farmers and encouraging investment.
Why protein has become a strategic issue
Protein is essential to European food production. Livestock farms require reliable supplies of protein-rich feed, while plant proteins are increasingly important for human consumption, food innovation and the development of alternative products.
However, the EU remains dependent on imports of several protein-rich commodities, particularly soybeans and soybean meal. This exposes farmers and food companies to international price fluctuations, trade disputes, transport disruptions and geopolitical crises.
The issue is therefore no longer limited to agricultural production. It concerns Europe’s wider economic security.
Recent disruptions in energy, fertiliser and commodity markets have demonstrated how rapidly external events can affect European farms. The Commission’s summer 2026 agricultural outlook warns that geopolitical uncertainty, energy prices, fertiliser affordability, weather conditions and trade tensions are placing pressure on producer margins and food prices.
Increasing the production of crops such as peas, beans, lupins, soybeans and other protein-rich plants could help diversify European agriculture while giving livestock producers access to more locally produced feed.
The development of European protein crops may also support crop rotation, soil fertility and more efficient use of agricultural resources. But achieving these objectives will require viable markets, investment in processing capacity, research, competitive prices and predictable support under the Common Agricultural Policy.
A sector worth hundreds of billions of euros
Livestock production remains a central component of the European agri-food economy. According to the Commission, it represents approximately 40% of EU agricultural added value, generates around €400 billion in annual turnover and supports about seven million jobs across the value chain.
Europe has approximately four million livestock farms. In 2025, EU exports of animal products were valued at around €53 billion, compared with imports of approximately €16 billion.
These figures explain why the Commission is not treating livestock farming simply as an environmental policy question. It is also an economic, territorial and social issue.
Livestock farms support food processing, transport, veterinary services, rural employment and regional supply chains. In mountain, remote and less productive regions, grazing animals can also help maintain landscapes and prevent agricultural land from being abandoned.
The Commission’s strategy consequently recognises that European production systems are highly diverse. Intensive farms, family farms, mountain grazing, Mediterranean pastoralism and mixed crop-and-livestock systems cannot all be governed through an identical model.
Businesses and stakeholders can follow the individual plant and animal production segments through eEuropa’s Agriculture Market Sectors.
Five priorities for European livestock farming
The Livestock Strategy is organised around five principal objectives:
These measures will interact with existing EU legislation, national CAP strategic plans and possible future regulatory proposals. The legislative process and the activities of the European Parliament and Council can be followed through eEuropa’s EU Legislative Activity on Agriculture and Food.
Opportunities — but also difficult choices
The strategy creates opportunities for farmers, cooperatives, seed producers, feed manufacturers, food processors, technology companies and research organisations.
Greater European protein production could stimulate demand for new crop varieties, precision-farming technologies, processing infrastructure and locally integrated supply chains. Funding may become available through CAP instruments, rural development programmes, research programmes and national measures. Relevant opportunities can be monitored through eEuropa’s EU Agriculture Funding and Tenders.
Nevertheless, major questions remain unresolved. European protein crops must become economically competitive with imported products. Farmers will need access to suitable seeds, processing facilities and stable buyers. Environmental objectives must also be reconciled with farm income, food affordability and international trade commitments.
Trade relations will remain particularly important. Europe cannot eliminate imports, nor would complete self-sufficiency necessarily be efficient. The challenge is to reduce excessive dependence while maintaining diversified and reliable international supply chains. Developments in trade agreements, agricultural diplomacy and global markets can be followed through eEuropa’s International Relations on Agriculture.
The new EU strategy therefore represents more than a plan for livestock farming. It signals a broader change in European agricultural policy: food, feed, fertilisers and agricultural inputs are increasingly being treated as strategic resources.
The ambition is clear. Europe wants a food system that is more autonomous, competitive and sustainable. The decisive test will be whether this political ambition is translated into investment, viable markets and measurable benefits for farmers.
The European Commission now wants to change this situation.
On 7 July 2026, it presented a new EU Livestock Strategy, accompanied by a Protein Action Plan. Together, the initiatives are intended to protect livestock farming, expand European production of protein crops and reduce strategic dependence on external suppliers.
The proposals were discussed by EU agriculture ministers at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council of 13 July 2026. Ministers broadly supported the objective of strengthening Europe’s food security and strategic autonomy, while calling for adequate financing and practical measures capable of rewarding farmers and encouraging investment.
Why protein has become a strategic issue
Protein is essential to European food production. Livestock farms require reliable supplies of protein-rich feed, while plant proteins are increasingly important for human consumption, food innovation and the development of alternative products.
However, the EU remains dependent on imports of several protein-rich commodities, particularly soybeans and soybean meal. This exposes farmers and food companies to international price fluctuations, trade disputes, transport disruptions and geopolitical crises.
The issue is therefore no longer limited to agricultural production. It concerns Europe’s wider economic security.
Recent disruptions in energy, fertiliser and commodity markets have demonstrated how rapidly external events can affect European farms. The Commission’s summer 2026 agricultural outlook warns that geopolitical uncertainty, energy prices, fertiliser affordability, weather conditions and trade tensions are placing pressure on producer margins and food prices.
Increasing the production of crops such as peas, beans, lupins, soybeans and other protein-rich plants could help diversify European agriculture while giving livestock producers access to more locally produced feed.
The development of European protein crops may also support crop rotation, soil fertility and more efficient use of agricultural resources. But achieving these objectives will require viable markets, investment in processing capacity, research, competitive prices and predictable support under the Common Agricultural Policy.
A sector worth hundreds of billions of euros
Livestock production remains a central component of the European agri-food economy. According to the Commission, it represents approximately 40% of EU agricultural added value, generates around €400 billion in annual turnover and supports about seven million jobs across the value chain.
Europe has approximately four million livestock farms. In 2025, EU exports of animal products were valued at around €53 billion, compared with imports of approximately €16 billion.
These figures explain why the Commission is not treating livestock farming simply as an environmental policy question. It is also an economic, territorial and social issue.
Livestock farms support food processing, transport, veterinary services, rural employment and regional supply chains. In mountain, remote and less productive regions, grazing animals can also help maintain landscapes and prevent agricultural land from being abandoned.
The Commission’s strategy consequently recognises that European production systems are highly diverse. Intensive farms, family farms, mountain grazing, Mediterranean pastoralism and mixed crop-and-livestock systems cannot all be governed through an identical model.
Businesses and stakeholders can follow the individual plant and animal production segments through eEuropa’s Agriculture Market Sectors.
Five priorities for European livestock farming
The Livestock Strategy is organised around five principal objectives:
- First, the EU wants to make farms more resilient to market crises, diseases and climate-related events. Proposed actions include improved risk-management instruments, stronger disease prevention and greater use of digital technologies.
- Second, the Commission wants to strengthen competitiveness by facilitating investment, promoting European products internationally and considering reciprocity requirements for imported products.
- Third, the strategy seeks to reduce the environmental impact of livestock production. The Commission plans to develop a harmonised methodology for measuring farm-level emissions, improve nutrient circulation and support investments in climate adaptation, animal welfare and circular production.
- Fourth, EU action will recognise territorial differences and the contribution of livestock farming to rural communities.
- Finally, the Commission wants to create greater value from quality, origin, production methods and consumer confidence, including clearer labelling and market differentiation.
These measures will interact with existing EU legislation, national CAP strategic plans and possible future regulatory proposals. The legislative process and the activities of the European Parliament and Council can be followed through eEuropa’s EU Legislative Activity on Agriculture and Food.
Opportunities — but also difficult choices
The strategy creates opportunities for farmers, cooperatives, seed producers, feed manufacturers, food processors, technology companies and research organisations.
Greater European protein production could stimulate demand for new crop varieties, precision-farming technologies, processing infrastructure and locally integrated supply chains. Funding may become available through CAP instruments, rural development programmes, research programmes and national measures. Relevant opportunities can be monitored through eEuropa’s EU Agriculture Funding and Tenders.
Nevertheless, major questions remain unresolved. European protein crops must become economically competitive with imported products. Farmers will need access to suitable seeds, processing facilities and stable buyers. Environmental objectives must also be reconciled with farm income, food affordability and international trade commitments.
Trade relations will remain particularly important. Europe cannot eliminate imports, nor would complete self-sufficiency necessarily be efficient. The challenge is to reduce excessive dependence while maintaining diversified and reliable international supply chains. Developments in trade agreements, agricultural diplomacy and global markets can be followed through eEuropa’s International Relations on Agriculture.
The new EU strategy therefore represents more than a plan for livestock farming. It signals a broader change in European agricultural policy: food, feed, fertilisers and agricultural inputs are increasingly being treated as strategic resources.
The ambition is clear. Europe wants a food system that is more autonomous, competitive and sustainable. The decisive test will be whether this political ambition is translated into investment, viable markets and measurable benefits for farmers.
