Study - Impacts of the development of artificial/cultured meat on the sustainability of the agri-food sector in the European Union

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is planning to launch a procurement procedure for a study on Impacts of the development of artificial/cultured meat on the sustainability of the agri-food sector in the European Union.

1. WHAT IS THIS NOTICE ABOUT?

This announcement is made pursuant to Annex I.14 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, to award a low value contract for a study through a negotiated procurement procedure. This notice provides basic information about the contract’s subject matter and gives economic operators the opportunity to express interest in participating as tenderers in the upcoming procurement procedure.

DESCRIPTION

The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the multifaceted impacts of ‘artificial/cultured’ meat production compared to traditional livestock farming, looking at the three pillars of sustainability (environmental, social and economic).

The study should therefore explore: 

• the environmental impacts, including on greenhouse gas emissions, land use, energy use and efficiency, water consumption, share of permanent pasture (carbon capture); 
• the social impacts, such as job creation or displacement, changes in rural livelihoods and social links between farmers and consumers, impact on traditional farming practices and number of farms, contribution to healthy diets (nutritional value and safety of these products, presence of additives or contaminants, change of eating habits, value of food, etc.), impact on consumers (food affordability/ availability), consumer acceptance and ethical considerations;
• the economic impacts on various stakeholders within the agri-food sector, including farmers, food manufacturers, consumers and relevant industries, such as on the farmers’ earnings, the share of power in the agri-food industry, the share of benefits within the agri-food chain, potential shifts in market dynamics and the costs of potential labelling of cultured meat products.

By addressing all these aspects comprehensively, the study will provide valuable insights into the implications of artificial/cultured meat development on the long-term sustainability of the agri-food sector in the EU, guiding future decision-making for policy-makers and industry stakeholders in this rapidly evolving field.

Languages/geographical area

The study should be carried out in English and cover the impacts on the European Union as a whole.

Indicative timeline

1. Launch of the invitation to tender: 2nd quarter 2024
2. Contract award: 3rd quarter 2024
3. The final study report is expected within 5 months following the signature of the contract
4. Deadline for submission of tenders: approximately July 2024

2. WHO MAY EXPRESS INTEREST TO BE INVITED TO THE SUBSEQUENT CALL FOR TENDERS?

Participation is open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons established in the European Union (EU) or in a third country which has a special agreement with the EU in the field of public procurement on the conditions laid down in that agreement. This includes:

• All EU Member States;
• Parties to special international agreements with the EU in the field of public procurement:
  • European Economic Area agreement (EEA): Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein;
  • Stabilisation and Association Agreements (SAA): North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo.

3. HOW TO EXPRESS INTEREST?

Entities established in a country that has access to the procurement can express interest to participate in the planned call for tenders by filling in and submitting the contact form linked to at the bottom of this page.

DATA PROTECTION

By submitting your contact details, you consent to the EESC processing this personal data in line with this Privacy Statement. To access, change or delete your data at any moment, please contact the data controller by sending an email to studies-eesc@eesc.europa.eu.

DISCLAIMER

Please note that this announcement does not create any obligation for the EESC to launch a procurement procedure. The EESC will only use the submitted information to identify potential candidates. Expressing interest to participate in this type of negotiated procedure does not create any legal right or legitimate expectation on the part of any economic operator, and the EESC has the right to cancel the procedure at any time. The documents of the actual call for tenders (invitation letter, tender specifications and draft contract) will only be provided to the identified candidates when the procedure is launched, and any tender received from a legal or natural person not invited to tender will be rejected.