Eat Europe warmly thanks Commissioner Christophe Hansen and Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné for the constructive exchange held during the EU Food Dialogue, and for their openness to engage with stakeholders committed to strengthening Europe’s food systems. On this occasion, Eat Europe brought forward two strategic priorities for the future of the European Union, in line with the topics of the meeting: the reform of public procurement in collective catering and the strengthening of the link between sustainable food systems and tourism, culture and heritage — also in light of the forthcoming EU Sustainable Tourism Strategy.

Procurement rules represent a powerful policy lever to guide markets towards healthier and more sustainable dietary models. Scientific evidence confirms that diet significantly impacts public health. According to the World Health Organization, more than 390 million children and adolescents aged 5–19 were overweight in 2022, with rates having risen dramatically since 1990. Research published in The Lancet further highlights the sharp increase in obesity and diet-related diseases worldwide. More recent studies took into account the most relevant surveys of the last three years, which in total involved about 10 million individuals worldwide. The result is a direct link between the consumption of UPFs and 32 adverse health effects affecting in particular gastrointestinal, metabolic, respiratory and cardiovascular health. Children and teenagers are especially at risk.

Eat Europe therefore called for a targeted revision of EU public procurement legislation to explicitly integrate: criteria promoting fresh and minimally processed foods, award criteria linked to documented positive health impacts, particularly for minors, recognition of organic, traditional, PDO and PGI products, as well as social agriculture initiatives and stronger incentives for short supply chains, seasonal products and local sourcing.

In this sense, Luigi Scordamaglia, President of Eat Europe, underlined that “requiring clear origin labelling—at least at the national level—is not a disruption of the Single Market. It is a tool for transparency and informed choice.”

Overcoming procurement models based primarily on the lowest price is essential: investing in higher-quality, healthier food in collective catering means investing in public health — particularly in the well-being of future generations — while contributing to reduce long-term healthcare costs.

“If we fail to change course, we will be responsible for a silent tragedy: a generation burdened by non-communicable diseases and health systems pushed beyond sustainability. Confronting the impact of ultra-processed foods is no longer optional—it is an urgent responsibility, in particular for the health of our children”, said Luigi Scordamaglia, President of Eat Europe.

Eat Europe also stressed the importance of ensuring coherence with other EU policies, including the future post-2027 reform of the Common Market Organisation (CMO), where the EU School Scheme represents a key instrument for promoting healthy eating habits among children. The scheme should prioritise the distribution of products originating in the European Union – recognizing the specificity of GIs – and integrate higher environmental and social sustainability standards, supported by appropriate incentives to ensure their effective implementation.

Eat Europe also highlighted the strategic importance of strengthening the link between sustainable food systems and the relationship between urban and rural areas. Reinforcing connections between cities and the countryside through food, agriculture and rural tourism can support local value chains, promote short supply chains and farmers’ markets, and encourage more sustainable consumption patterns, while enhancing the resilience, economic vitality and cultural heritage of rural territories.

Such an integrated approach would help position the European Union as a global leader in sustainable, place-based development models that reconnect cities and countryside while supporting resilient food systems and thriving rural communities.