SUSFANS Final Workshop: Achieving sustainable food systems in the EU

SUSFANS research and stakeholder community presented results and reflected on its metrics, drivers and models work of the past four years.

Background information

• The SUSFANS project has started in April 2015, and will be completed on 31 March 2019.
• A loyal stakeholder group of 30 organisations has been participating in four consecutive SUSFANS workshops. This workshop marked the closing event for their involvement.
• The SUSFANS impact team has completed a tour across four European case study countries for outreach on the analytical tools developed in the project i.e. metrics, models and foresight.

Objectives of the workshop (Objective 1 and 3 to be addressed in the morning, Objective 2 and 3 in the afternoon (plenary)).

1. Reporting main results to stakeholder core group community, i.e. policy & industries, and testing the ability of the SUSFANS metrics framework and foresight to inform different perspectives on sustainable food systems and healthy diets in the EU.
2. Making a contribution to an evidence-based policy discussion on food systems transformation at EU level. Discuss how and by whom the SUSFANS framework of analysis and core results of the project could be taken up.
3. Providing examples and suggestions for private and public policy action on sustainable food systems and healthy diets in the EU at the level of the European institution.

Guiding questions morning sessions: Metrics, drivers and models: Results and reflections

• How can the SUSFANS framework be a helpful guide for non-scientific users in monitoring, assessment and identifying priority areas for policy action?
• What is the assessment of the performance of the food systems in the EU and its member states, in terms of the environmental, social and economic sustainability of consumer diets and food supply systems?
• What opportunities and challenges for food systems transformation under the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change are suggested by the SUSFANS foresight study?

Guiding questions afternoon session: An integrated perspective on the EU's food systems. Science meets policy

• What are key, positive entry points for a transformation in the EU food system towards a more sustainable food supply and sustainable diets?
• How can the SUSFANS framework and Nuffield intervention ladder inspire policy action and coordination at the European level, between public and private actors?
• How can EU-level food standards, agriculture, trade and environmental policies be aligned with national nutrition and health policies? On what time-line?

Participation

• Around 70-80 persons including 30-40 members of the Stakeholder Core Group, European Commission and other external stakeholders, mainly Brussels-based participated, besides the researchers of the SUSFANS consortium.
• List of participants here.