Position papers

IPIFF Position Letter to the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union- Insects’ protein for food and feed – supply, production and sustainability

Date: July 2025

IPIFF welcomes the Danish Presidency’s initiative to emphasise the vital role of proteins in food and feed, particularly in addressing issues related to supply, production, and sustainability. However, we note that the preparatory note for the upcoming Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting on the 14th of July primarily centres on plant proteins, without sufficiently considering the contribution of insects or other alternative protein sources in developing a comprehensive future protein strategy.

 Download our contribution paper here.

IPIFF Contribution Paper as regards the classification of certain killing methods in insect production as ‘primary production’ activities

Date: May 2025

The killing of farmed insects is not specifically mentioned under EU food and feed hygiene rules. E.g. Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 includes references to the ‘hygiene slaughtering of animals,’ whereas Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 (laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin) refers to ‘slaughter’ and ‘killing’ activities for the different categories of animals covered under the sections of its annex III. Farmed insects are not covered under any of the sections of the concerned annex.

 Download our contribution paper here.

IPIFF Position Paper towards the European Commission’s Consultation on EU funding for competitiveness

Date: May 2025

With this position paper, IPIFF aligns with the European Commission’s identified challenges in this consultation paper, which resonate with the EU insect-producing sector. By addressing these challenges effectively, better financial allocation under the EU budget can be achieved and thus, improve the EU’s innovative competitiveness.

 Download our position paper here.

IPIFF Position Paper towards the Common Fisheries Policy Regulation Evaluation

Date: March 2025

With this position paper, IPIFF calls for greater support of insect-based aquafeed within the Common Fisheries Policy to enhance sustainability and align with EU environmental goals.

 Download our contribution paper here.

IPIFF Position Paper towards the Net-Zero Industry Act

Date: March 2025

With this position paper, IPIFF welcomes the Net-Zero Industry Act and calls for recognition of insect sector contributions to EU biogas goals through regulatory clarification on frass use.

 Download our contribution paper here.

InnovProtein EU Alliance Joint Position Paper towards the EU Evaluation of Public Procurement Directives

Date: March 2025

With this position paper, the InnovProtein EU coalition reaffirms its joint commitment to advancing sustainable food systems by promoting insect, algae, and yeast proteins in line with the EU Farm to Fork Strategy.

 Download our position paper here.

IPIFF Position Paper towards the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy

Date: March 2025

With this position paper, IPIFF highlights the rapid growth and job-creating potential of the European insect sector, calling for tailored EU support to help scale production and strengthen rural economies.

 Download our contribution paper here.

IPIFF Position Paper towards the Committee of the Regions Opinion on ‘The Future Common Agricultural Policy’

Date: March 2024

With this contribution paper, IPIFF expresses the full commitment of the European insect sector to cooperate with the Committee of the Regions in order to promote the economic, social, and territorial development of the EU regions and, rural areas.

 Download our contribution paper here.

IPIFF Pledge Letter and Commitments towards the Code of Conduct for Responsible Food and Businesses and Marketing Practices

Date: 24 May 2023

IPIFF is actively supporting the development of the European insect sector. To accomplish its mission, the association helps its members in the effective implementation of EU food and feed safety legislation, such as through the development of shared standards and good hygiene practices.

 Download our pledge letter here.

IPIFF Stakeholder Contribution Paper on the Hungarian Authorities Notification on the National Decree to provide consumers with additional information on insect novel food products- Notification Nbr 2023/0109/HU

Date: 12 June 2023

In the present document, IPIFF outlines the views of the EU insect producers, on the manifested intention on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture of the EU Member State of Hungary.

 Download our position paper here.

IPIFF Stakeholder Contribution Paper on the Romanian Authorities Notification on the Order requiring economic operators to provide consumers with clear and complete information on foods that contain species of any insects authorised to be placed on the market as novel foods

Date: 12 June 2023

The present document outlines the views of the EU insect producers, in response to the Order on behalf of Romanian authorities requiring economic operators to provide consumers with clear and complete information on foods that contain species of any insects authorised to be placed on the market as novel foods.

 Download our position paper here.

IPIFF Contribution Paper to the European Commission Initiative on Food Waste Reduction Targets

Date: January 2023

IPIFF welcomes this initiative promoted by the European Commission in the context of the revision of the Waste Framework Directive (WFD). We strongly believe that the inclusion of EU-level targets for food waste reduction will strongly support the achievement of the objectives set out in the Farm to Fork Strategy.

 Download our position paper here.

IPIFF Contribution Paper to the European Commission Initiative on Nutrients Action Plan for Better Management

Date: January 2023

IPIFF welcomes this initiative on behalf of the European Commission. We believe that the target presented in the European Green Deal for reducing nutrient losses by 50% by 2030 is essential and that an integrated Nutrient Management Action Plan is a unique opportunity to consider the nutrient cycles globally and to provide a holistic and sustainable approach to nutrient management.

 Download our position paper here.

IPIFF Contribution Paper on the inclusion of insect frass as part of the EU fertilisers’ Regulation

Date: 2 December 2022

The International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed (IPIFF) – the Brussels-based umbrella organisation representing stakeholders active across the insect production value chains – is happy to share its contribution paper in including insect frass under CMC 10 (Annex II) of the EU Fertilisers’ Regulation

 Download our contribution paper

IPIFF position paper as regards the determination of an end point for insect frass in organic fertilisers (Reg. 1069/2009)

Date: 21 October 2022

The International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed (IPIFF) – the Brussels-based umbrella organisation representing stakeholders active across the insect production value chains – is happy to share its position paper on to the revision of the Draft Commission Delegated Regulation – Supplementing Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 as regards the determination of end points in the manufacturing chain of certain organic fertilisers and soil improvers

 Download our position paper here.

IPIFF position paper on the use of insect larvae as feed for food-producing animals

Date: 16 September 2021

The International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed (IPIFF) – the Brussels-based umbrella organisation representing stakeholders active across the insect production value chains – is happy to share its position paper on the use of insect larvae as feed for food-producing animals.

 Download our position paper here.

Contribution Paper – EU organic certification of insect production activities

Date: 19 July 2021

The International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed (IPIFF), the focal point of the European insect production sector in Brussels, is pleased to share its updated Contribution Paper ‘The European insect sector’s response to the growing demand for EU organic products’.

 Download our contribution paper on the EU organic certification of insect production activities.

Briefing Paper – The provisions relevant to the commercialization of insect-based products intended for human consumption in the EU

Date: 23 June 2021

This updated version (June 2021) of the briefing paper published in May 2018 elaborates on the procedures related to the authorisation of a novel food (namely the transitional measure), but also on the role of the European authority in charge of risk assessment throughout the food chain – the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Furthermore, it also addresses potential scenarios for FBOs during the transitional period and steps following the authorisation of a novel food application (data protected/non-data protected).To this end, the Briefing paper includes up-to-date information on the EFSA Administrative Guidance, improving the overall understanding of current and prospective applicants with regards to the criteria necessary for a comprehensive application (the completeness checklist has to be fulfilled) and the factors which could influence the estimated timeframe – such as the ‘stop-the-clock’ procedure.

Please note that recently added text appears in red. 

Download the briefing paper.

IPIFF Contribution Paper – Specific labelling criteria for edible insect food products in the European Union (EU)

Date: 18 November 2020

The International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed – the European association representing European insect producers – is publishing today its ‘Contribution Paper on specific labelling criteria for edible insect food products in the European Union (EU)‘, a document which presents the position of the umbrella association on with regard to labelling specifications for edible insect products and related recommendations.

Download the Contribution Paper here.

IPIFF Contribution – Commitment of the European insect sector towards more resilient and sustainable food supply systems

Date: 09 April 2020

The well-functioning of our food supply systems is essential to ensure food security for affected populations around the globe during times of crisis. Alike for many other food sectors, the COVID-19 pandemic poses numerous challenges to insect producers in Europe and around the globe. Exclusively composed of SMEs and ‘newly established’ businesses, the insect sector is, indeed, facing important disruptions as a consequence of this unprecedented crisis.

Download the IPIFF Contribution here.

Position Paper – The contribution of the European insect sector to improving sustainability from ‘Farm to Fork’

Date: 18 February 2020

The International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed – IPIFF – the Brussels-based umbrella organisation representing stakeholders active across the insect production value chains publishes today a ‘Position Paper‘ entitled ‘The Contribution of the European Insect Sector to Improving Sustainability from Farm to Fork‘.

Download the IPIFF Position Paper on the ‘Farm to Fork’.

Contribution Paper – The application of insect frass as fertilising product in agriculture

Date: 19 September 2019

The International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed – the European association representing the stakeholders involved in the production of insects – is publishing today its ‘Contribution Paper on the application of insect frass as fertilising product in agriculture‘, a document which presents the position of the umbrella association as part of its strategy to expand the circularity potential of insect production.

Download the IPIFF contribution on insect frass application as fertilising product.

Position Paper – The revision of EU food hygiene legislation and import rules for insects as food

Date: 5 November 2018

As EU umbrella organisation for the insect production sector, IPIFF welcomes the establishment of harmonised rules to spell out hygiene requirements and EU import conditions for food insect products.

Download our position paper on the revision of the EU food hygiene rules & imports of insects.

Contribution Paper – The development of a European Protein Plan

Date: 28 September 2018

The present document explains how in her view the insect sector may contribute to respond to the challenge of the EU protein deficit (see chapter 1) and sets a series of general recommendations for the EU protein plan along that line (see chapter 2).

 Download our IPIFF contribution paper on the development of a European Protein Plan. 

Possible approaches to addressing data requirements for novel food applications for insects and insect-derived products in the EU

Date: 16 May 2018

The present document has been prepared for the International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed (IPIFF) in relation to the regulatory requirements including risk assessment of insects intended for human consumption in the European Union (EU). This document provides an overview of the main aspects that should be considered when preparing an application for the authorisation of insects for human consumption under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 on novel foods.

 Download our IPIFF summary.

Position Paper – The use insect proteins as animal feed

Date: 26 July 2017

IPIFF believes that insects will soon constitute a reliable alternative or addition to fishmeal feed formulae for aquaculture: insect nutritional characteristics (e.g. protein content, amino acid profile and/or digestibility levels) are indeed comparable to those of fishmeal products, making them a pertinent substitute or addition in the diet of certain fish species (e.g. trout or Atlantic Salmon) or shellfish (e.g. shrimps).

Download our position paper on the use of insect proteins in animal feed.

Position Paper – Implementation of EU Regulation 2015/2283 on ‘novel foods’

Date: 29 November 2016

IPIFF considers that the establishment of harmonized rules for the marketing of insect products is a ‘step in the right direction’: while insects have the potential to become a major source of protein in Europe, insect producers primarily rely on a ‘solid’ and ‘stable’ EU regulatory framework to plan their investment marketing activities throughout the continent.

Download our position paper on the implementation of EU NF regulation.