The European Commission has failed to honour its commitment to introduce a Sustainable Food Systems Framework Law (SFSF), promised by the end of 2023, but never presented. Following a complaint by the think tank Green REV Institute, the European Ombudsman has opened an official inquiry into what happened. The absence of this framework law risks having repercussions on the rights to health, environment and food justice for future generations.
The Commission will now have to officially explain the reason for the delay, detailing the current state of affairs and the next steps it intends to take, in a context where Brussels is accused by NGOs of having yielded to pressure from agribusiness lobbies, sacrificing the commitments of the Green Deal.
What is the European Ombudsman
The European Ombudsman is an independent authority based in Strasbourg, tasked by the founding treaties with overseeing the good administration of EU institutions. It investigates when citizens, businesses or organisations report cases of maladministration, lack of transparency or failures to act. The Ombudsman cannot impose sanctions, but its investigations and recommendations carry significant political and media weight, often prompting the Commission and European agencies to change course.
The withdrawal of the proposal
Despite the Commission having provided no official explanation, its reluctance to proceed with the law is seen as a clear concession to industry pressure and to the search for a new political positioning following the rise, in many Member States, of governing political parties clearly opposed to the Green Deal.
The case opened by the European Ombudsman may therefore represent a pathway to obtaining an official response regarding the Commission’s decisions. The SFSF was due to be adopted by the end of 2023 as part of the “Farm to Fork” strategy, but the text has disappeared and no longer features even in the 2024 work programme.
Through its complaint, the Green REV Institute called for clarity and transparency, denouncing the failure to respect public consultations and the expectations generated among the general public.
The Ombudsman has now asked the Commission to explain the causes of the delay, the current status of the project and future plans, making public the reasons for any possible step back from what was promised. The Commission has until 19 November 2025 to respond.
Why it is crucial
Without a European framework law on food systems, the climate and biodiversity remain without binding legal instruments, while citizens risk reduced access to healthy and sustainable food. The absence of a clear framework for the ecological transition creates uncertainty, discouraging the market from independently pursuing a path towards adopting solutions to overcome the climate crisis — also in the interest of future generations — while nullifying the efforts already undertaken by virtuous economic operators.
Conclusion
The European Ombudsman’s inquiry represents a strong signal: the food transition cannot remain hostage to political inaction. Transparency is needed, and so is a law that ties together production, consumption, environment and animal welfare. For those working towards the transformation of the food system, such as REFOOD and many other European organisations, this is an opportunity to be seized: pushing institutions to fill the regulatory gap and to place sustainability back at the heart of the Green Deal.
