In recent years, local authorities—including organic cities and regions across Europe—have demonstrated that public canteens can serve as powerful tools for addressing food insecurity, reducing social inequalities, boosting local economies, supporting sustainable agriculture, increasing the share of organic products, protecting the environment, and promoting healthier diets.

These were the opening words of the Brussels Declaration of November 2024, in which ICLEI, IFOAM, Organic Cities, the Buy Better Food campaign, Biodinamica, and the partners of the Freeing Public Food Procurement campaign—France Urbaine, Eating City, Agores, Manger Demain, the Lascaux Centre for Transitions, and the cities of Brussels and Mouans-Sartoux—called on the European Union to address two key priorities:

  • Establish minimum sustainability criteria within a harmonised European framework, empowering local authorities to make more sustainable choices;
  • Simplify public procurement processes and offer the flexibility needed to adopt the most effective approaches for strengthening local short supply chains, thereby contributing to fair, healthy, and sustainable food systems.

Since 2024: What progress has been made?
Will the goals of the Green Deal be abandoned in light of the current geopolitical context—such as the war in Ukraine and rising trade barriers? Or should we, now more than ever, reaffirm our commitment to supporting sustainable food systems and short supply chains to secure Europe’s food future?

What can we expect from the upcoming revision of European public procurement directives?
What role should the new European Food and Agriculture Board play?

Join our follow-up webinar
📅 23 April | 9:30 – 12:30 CET

9:30 – In the current geopolitical context, how can we reaffirm the role of sustainable food systems in ensuring Europe’s food security? How can public procurement become an effective lever for change?

11:10 – At what scale should we act? An overview of challenges and technical solutions at the local level in Europe, with case studies and examples from France, Italy, Belgium, and beyond.

Confirmed speakers include:
Audrey Pulvar (Deputy Mayor of Paris, Co-Chair of the Territorial Food Strategies Commission of France Urbaine), Gilles Pérole (Deputy Mayor of Mouans-Sartoux), Valérie Hayer and Camilla Laureti (Members of the European Parliament and the European Commission, Marta Messa (Slow Food), Jean-Marc Louvin (ICLEI), Claudio Serafini (Organic Cities), Maurizio Mariani (Eating City), Simon Lechat (Manger Demain), and Sylvestre Nivet (Agores).