On February 18, the European Council and European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the targeted revision of the Waste Framework Directive which focuses specifically on food and textile waste. After more than a year of discussions, the provisional deal introduces the first-ever binding targets for food waste reduction across the EU.

By December 31, 2030, every member state will be required to meet new targets, which include:

• A reduction by 10% in processing and manufacturing food waste compared to the average amount of waste generated in these sectors in 2021-2023.
• A reduction by 30% (per capita) in food waste from retail, restaurants, food services and households compared to the average amount of waste generated in these sectors in 2021-2023.

The agreement also states that Member States should take more targeted measures regarding food donation and ensure that larger economic operators (to be identified in each member state) facilitate the donation of unsold food that is safe for human consumption. 

While the introduction of these binding targets is a positive step forward, we also know we need more urgent action on food waste reduction if we have any hope of reaching SDG 12.3 -  a 50% reduction in global per capita food waste levels. The EU economy loses up to €132 billion every year due to food waste, while almost 33 million people in the EU cannot afford a full meal every second day.  

At FoodCloud, we are proud to support over 200 businesses in Ireland, redistributing surplus food from their operations to local community groups. But we know that more must be done. In Ireland 750,000 tonnes of food is wasted every year, all across the supply chain.  That’s why we are ready to play our part in achieving these new targets—and we need your help to make it happen. Together, we can tackle this global issue and contribute to the EU and UN’s goal of reducing food waste by 2030. Will you join us?