Our Pillars

Food Processing Machinery Europe contributes to policy in five key areas (known as pillars).

Food safety
Representing large European processing equipment manufacturers, FPME contributes to EU’s integrated approach to food safety. As an essential link to the food supply chain, the food processing machinery sector ensures consumer safety by designing innovative and hygienic solutions for food and drink manufacturers. As a major exporter of food processing and packaging machinery solutions FPME also contributes to setting global standards for food hygiene. FPME is a member of the European Commission’s expert working group on food contact materials.

Environment
FPME members fully support the European objective of producing safe food sustainably. By designing and producing highly innovative and energy efficient machinery, the sector plays an essential role in providing food and drink manufacturers with life-cycle solutions to produce foods that have a minimum impact on the environment. Our industry continuously seeks innovate ways to ensure the recyclability of packaging, to handle filling machine waste and to improve machinery efficiency.

Social
The food processing machinery sector as a whole employs over 100,000 people. Innovative engineering solutions being the core of our business, we employ a highly qualified workforce. FPME contributes immensely to the European Union’s goals of competitiveness, employment and knowledge-based society. We encourage European incentives for education, technical specialisation and workforce mobility.

Trade
Our sector is a substantial contributor to the European trade balance: one third of Europe's production is exported, and exports are seven times higher than imports. FPME members operate worldwide and over 60% of the world’s industrially produced food is manufactured with machines made in Europe. We support all European initiatives which facilitate competitive access to third markets and the elimination of barriers to trade.

Research
The food processing machinery industry is a technology-driven sector. As global innovation leaders, FPME members produce engineering solutions for food and drink manufacturers ensuring that consumers are provided with a wide ranging choice of safe and sustainable food products. FPME is a founding member of the European Technology Platform ‘Food for Life’.