Periodic Reporting for period 2 - FOODSAFETY4EU (FOODSAFETY4EU - MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PLATFORM FOR FOOD SAFETY IN EUROPE)
Reporting period: 2022-07-01 to 2023-12-31
FS4EU established a new long-term Science-Policy-Society interface: the EU FOOD SAFETY FORUM. Scientists, companies, EC, EFSA, other Food Safety Authorities and civil organizations have been conducted to this interface through a 3years structured participatory process, by co-designing new schemes to advance the FSS from a reactive system to an interactive one. In this way, the Consortium consolidated the multi-actor engagement, feeding the digital platform with the Knowledge Centre for Food Safety in Europe and digital tools, and providing co-created input for EU policies and strategies (including a new model of SRIA).
10 DIGITAL TOOLS have been developed to support communication and relationships within the FS4EU platform; the expert finder app was launched to foster interaction. The platform has been launched and presented in several events.
Through the 4 FOOD SAFETY OPERATIONAL LABS (FSOLabs), the CO-CREATION PROCESSES IN SOCIAL LABS has provided the following results through 3learning cycles on:
· IMPROVEMENT OF ROADMAPS FOR THE FUTURE FSS – INTEGRATION AND FORECASTING: net map analysis, surveys conducted at Hub levels, new roadmaps for risk assessment (FSOLab 1);
· DEFINITION OF THE RESEARCH & INNOVATION FRAMEWORK FOR THE FUTURE POLICIES (FSOLab2 and 3), a map and gap analysis of research programmes and funding opportunities in Food Safety including results from experts interviews. 2 pilot actions to set up a) a Food Safety Knowledge Network for the alignment of transnational funding cycles and research priorities; b) a Food Safety Systems alliance for a fast-response Strategic Research & Innovation Agenda (SRIA) with expected future themes and priorities.
· STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF FOOD SAFETY AND THE CIVIL SOCIETY ENGAGEMENT (FSOLab 4): surveys for different stakeholders were implemented in 2021 and 2 pilot actions involving a national FOOD SAFETY Authority (Raising awareness about food safety and food safety system actors among consumers and civil society in Tunisia) and Industry (Safe Food in a Circular World in Czechia). Storyboards and materials for their implementation have been finalized. 4 workshops realized at the Hub level for engagement of the public.
The process of CO-DESIGNing THE PLATFORM STRATEGY AND BUSINESS MODEL FOR LONG-TERM COOPERATION produced the platform concept, the stakeholders’ portrait together with the motivation matrix and transactions boards. The business model of the Platform and sustainability plan finalized.
The FS4EU Forum as a Science-Policy-Society interface has been held in Brussels in 2023, supported by a series of actions for liaisons with institutions and policymakers.
Strong action of DISSEMINATION, COMMUNICATION AND EXPLOITATION has been conducted to enhance the project positioning in the FS scenario, by using combined tools, materials and channels: 1 website, 7 social media campaigns, 13 events, 29 FS4EUpdates, 15 glossary, cards. 15 Agreements and synergies to boost the engagement of key players have been set (i.e. DISH cluster with 5 EU-funded projects), resulting in a network of 62 Supporting Partners, cooperating with 23 FS4EU beneficiaries.
All the activities have been supported by an intensive COORDINATION AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT, that ensured the project’s bodies functioning and institutional linkages, as well as the overall compliance of the ETHICS REQUIREMENTS.
The European Food Safety Forum with the FS4EU platform is being positioning as a one of the reference platforms for the entire Food Safety community, thus having an impact on challenges at the policy-society level related to the Food System transformation, by providing :
1. input for new standards and procedures to enforce Food Safety legislation;
2. input and methodologies for updating the research agendas at the country level;
3. reports and position papers useful for EU policies;
4. business model to provide logistic and technical support for a permanent structure, and dedicated agreement (TOR);
5. new knowledge for further implementation in new projects and/or other initiatives.
FS4EU has contributed to enhancing the awareness of food safety and sustainability, through a massive communication action and messages sustaining the behaviour towards better healthy choices (holistic approach, safe&healthy diets). This will also have an effect on enhancing consumer trust in the transparency of the EU food safety system, thus contributing to the implementation of the new transparency regulation.
Moreover, FS4EU has introduced in the EU Food Safety System a cooperative platform. The networks created and consolidated across food safety stakeholders groups for collaboration and harmonization (“out of silos”) are expected to set and feed a long-term collaboration based on co-creation. This could have an impact also in pushing a proactive behaviour by the industry, that has been successfully engaged and included in the overall process. Finally, the project is boosting a collective learning process, that includes also the consumer perspective, thus favouring the circulation of new skills and competencies.