European food sovereignty faces challenges under von der Leyen

Criticism has been leveled against European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen regarding the European Union's pursuit of strategic autonomy and food sovereignty. While von der Leyen has advocated for a “strong and independent” Europe, data from the Brussels-based analysis center Farm Europe suggests a decline in domestic productive capacity.

According to Farm Europe, the EU's cereal surplus has been halved since 2019, and wheat imports increased 2.4 times between 2019 and 2023. Additionally, corn exports fell by 48%, and the livestock sector has seen a loss of over 26 million heads. Eurostat data corroborates a significant reduction in the number of farms, falling from over 14 million in 2005 to 8.8 million in 2023, leading to increased dependence on external sources for proteins and fertilizers.