Renew MEP Christine Singer has raised concerns that the European Commission's ongoing review of the EU Catalogue of feed materials and the Feed Materials Register could limit the variety of raw materials available to the EU feed industry, potentially harming innovation, product diversity, and competitiveness. In a written parliamentary question submitted on 15 June 2026, Singer warns that plant products such as liquorice, biochar, roots, and herbs, which have traditionally been used as animal feed, are being removed from the catalogue and register.
Singer's question targets the Commission's criteria for reviewing and deleting entries from the EU Catalogue of feed materials under Regulation (EU) No 68/2013 and the Feed Materials Register. She asks what regulatory goal the Commission pursues by deleting these products, especially when they are not intended as feed additives, and what legal pathway exists for such products to remain available without triggering disproportionate authorisation procedures. The MEP also seeks the Commission's assessment of the potential implications for innovation, product variety, and the competitiveness of the EU feed industry.
The question reflects a tension between regulatory streamlining and industry flexibility. On one hand, the Commission's clean-up aims to ensure safety and consistency in feed materials; on the other, feed industry sources argue that removing traditional plant-based materials could stifle nutritional innovation and reduce the range of feedstocks, particularly for smaller producers. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks, and its answer will signal whether it prioritises regulatory simplification or industry access to diverse raw materials. Stakeholders most affected include EU feed manufacturers, livestock farmers, and companies producing plant-based feed ingredients, who face potential compliance costs or loss of market access, while consumers may see reduced product variety in animal-derived food products.