“Food security is an essential part of European security.” This is what Bulgarian MEP from the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament Kristian Vigenin said during a discussion in Brussels on “No security without food: recognising EU food security as a strategic critical infrastructure”. The event was organised by the Kangaroo Group – an informal platform for political dialogue on key EU policies.

The MEP pointed out that animal health is a very important element of food security. “Too often we treat animal diseases as isolated incidents. In reality, they represent systemic risks. They can halt production, disrupt trade and destabilise entire regions,” he said. The MEP gave the audience a concrete example from Bulgaria: “Outbreaks of diseases such as small ruminant plague have led to the destruction of entire herds and the loss of livelihoods for small farmers literally overnight. In vulnerable rural areas, this has accelerated depopulation and exacerbated social and economic instability.” In his view, the European response remains largely crisis-driven and reactive. He called for a shift towards a preventive approach based on science and innovation. “We need to invest much more in veterinary research and innovation ecosystems – effective vaccines, targeted treatments and rapid diagnostics. These are the tools that allow us to act early and wisely instead of resorting to harsh measures,” the MEP suggested. Vigenin said he had asked the European Commission to review protocols for dealing with such outbreaks.

Another serious problem, according to him, is antimicrobial resistance. “The way we manage animal health today has a direct impact on human health tomorrow. The overuse of antimicrobials in livestock farming threatens the effectiveness of the medicines we all rely on,” the MEP warned. He stressed that animal health, public health and food security are inextricably linked, as is the sustainable development of agriculture.

The MEP, who is a member of the Environment, Climate and Food Safety Committee in the European Parliament, insisted that the understanding of security must go beyond traditional frameworks: ‘We often talk about security in the context of defence, borders or geopolitics. But recent years have reminded us that security is a much broader concept” Vigenin warned that disruptions in food chains have immediate effects on society because they also lead to price increases.

The debate addressed food security as a fundamental element of European security, especially in the context of shifting budgets towards new priorities and risks of underfunding the agri-food chain. Concerns were expressed that this could lead to fragmentation of supply within the single market. MEPs Matthew Tonin and Paulo do Nascimento Cabral, Deputy Director-General of the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, took part in the debate of the European Commission, Pierre Bascu and the General Manager of MSD Animal Health, Ireland, Fergal Morris.

In perspective, Vigenin highlighted the importance of the forthcoming Biotechnology Act. “We cannot build a sustainable Europe with the old tools. We need a more modern, forward-looking and knowledge-based approach”, the MEP concluded.