Wins in European Parliament Cardiovascular Disease Report

June 25, 2026

The European Parliament’s Health (SANT) Committee has adopted its recommendation report on the EU Cardiovascular Disease Strategy (Safe Hearts Plan), marking an important step forward for policies supporting fresh produce consumption. The report is expected to move to Plenary for final adoption in September.

This outcome represents a strong result for the sector and reflects IFPA’s sustained and direct advocacy engagement with policymakers over the past year, supported by active member contributions throughout the process.

Key outcomes for the fresh produce sector include:

Recognition of the importance of daily fruit and vegetable consumption in reducing cardiovascular disease risk
Acknowledgement of persistently low consumption levels across Europe, with only 12% of Europeans meeting the recommended intake
Continued emphasis on improving the food environment, including front-of-pack nutrition labelling aligned with dietary recommendations and measures addressing the marketing of unhealthy foods
Strengthened focus on public procurement as a lever to promote healthier diets, including:
- Continued support and adequate financing for the EU School Fruit, Vegetables and Milk Scheme
- Calls for healthier and more accessible school meals, including minimum quality standards in public catering
- Direction to the European Commission to ensure the forthcoming revision of the Public Procurement Directive (expected in September) enables authorities to provide healthier meals, including fruits and vegetables
Calls for stronger coherence between EU health and agri-food policies, ensuring public funding supports the production and consumption of foods associated with reduced cardiovascular risk
Recognition of affordability as a key barrier, with calls for strategies to improve access to fruits and vegetables through targeted measures and EU funding instruments

Why this matters:

While non-binding, the report carries significant political weight and sends a clear signal to the European Commission and Member States on the need for stronger action to improve diets and reduce non-communicable diseases. It also provides important momentum for IFPA’s ongoing advocacy priorities, including public procurement, healthy food environments, affordability measures and nutrition labelling.

IFPA will continue to engage actively with policymakers ahead of the Plenary vote and build on this momentum across related EU policy files.

Wins in European Parliament Cardiovascular Disease Report

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