This article was first published in the EU Reporter on 17 October 2024 and an updated version was published on ARC2020 on 21 November 2024.
As we face increasingly urgent global challenges, including climate change, urbanisation and growing inequality, Europe must transform its food systems to ensure resilience, sustainability and inclusivity, writes Anna Scavuzzo, Vice Mayor of Milan and Eurocities Shadow Commissioner for Sustainable Food Systems and David Dessers, Deputy Mayor of Leuven and Eurocities Shadow Commissioner for Sustainable Food Systems.
The Strategic Dialogue for Agriculture, convened by President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, was designed to depolarise the contentious debates surrounding food and agriculture. It brought together a wide range of stakeholders who unanimously adopted a comprehensive set of recommendations for the future of Europe’s food systems.
They provide a bold vision for 2035-2040, where European food systems are flourishing within planetary limits, delivering nutritious, sustainable and affordable food for all.
It is encouraging to see businesses, researchers, NGOs, and small and large farmers’ groups unanimously call for real change in our European food systems – they are right, we need to act now. However, this vision cannot be achieved without cities.
Cities are ready to lead, but they need support
Urban areas house over 75% of Europe’s population and are on the frontline of food system innovation. Milan, as the coordinator of the Food Trails project, has revolutionized school catering, cutting CO2 emissions by 42% between 2015-2021, reducing plastic use and food waste, and fostering healthy eating habits in the city’s youngest citizens.
Projects like Food Trails have given cities an opportunity to develop their food policies and shown how they implement them in ways that benefit people, the planet and the local economy.
Leuven has taken significant steps to shorten its food supply chain. The city is a shareholder in an innovative online platform connecting local farmers directly with restaurants and supermarkets, ensuring that fresh, local produce reaches consumers more efficiently.
By cutting out intermediaries, Leuven is supporting farmers while building a more resilient and sustainable food system. The city has also made it a policy to use city-owned agricultural land for innovative and sustainable agricultural projects, submitted by citizens.
These examples show the potential cities have to drive meaningful change in Europe’s food systems. However, local authorities often face barriers, including outdated regulations, lack of funding and insufficient policy coherence, which limit the scope of their ambitions.
A vision for Europe’s food future
Responding to these barriers, the Strategic Dialogue calls for food to be seen as a unifying force, one that bridges rural and urban divides, reconnects producers with consumers, and strengthens social bonds. This aligns perfectly with the work cities like ours are already doing.
Through initiatives such as Food Trails, and networks such as Eurocities and the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, cities have taken a collaborative approach to food policy, sharing best practices on public procurement, sustainability and food waste reduction, among others.
We must act to make healthy and sustainable diets the easy choice for consumers, and cities have an important role to play. Through investing in urban markets, innovative planning policies and ambitious public procurement, cities can bring food that is good for the planet closer to people.
There is also a growing number of cities engaging their citizens directly in decisions about their food systems through food policy councils and participatory approaches.
EU must give cities a seat at the table
Looking ahead, we congratulate Christophe Hansen on his appointment as the Commissioner-designate for Agriculture and Food, and Olivér Várhelyi as the Commissioner-designate for Health and Animal Welfare.
We hope that their leadership will bring renewed energy to the transformation of Europe’s food systems, and we look forward to a positive collaboration.
However, we are concerned that urban food systems, which play an integral role in feeding the majority of Europe’s citizens, are not explicitly covered in their portfolios. We urge both Commissioners to recognise the importance of cities in shaping sustainable food systems.
As President von der Leyen stated during the announcement of the new College of Commissioners, the work of Commissioner Hansen will be “guided by the recommendations of the Strategic Dialogue for Agriculture,” which should serve as the foundation for transforming Europe’s food systems.
These recommendations reflect the urgent need for a holistic approach that integrates sustainability, health and the well-being of all citizens.
We believe, however, that the centrality of citizens, their health, and their values must be further emphasised in this agenda. A food system that truly works for Europe must prioritise public health, environmental sustainability, and the preservation of local food cultures.
Therefore, we call on the EU to formally integrate local authorities into the proposed European Board on Agri-Food Systems. Cities must be at the heart of discussions on how to transform food production, distribution and consumption across the continent.
In addition, European funding mechanisms must be expanded to support local innovations. As highlighted by the Strategic Dialogue, cities require dedicated financial resources to implement sustainable food policies, to create living labs for experimentation, and to drive the social innovation necessary for food systems transformation.
A time for unity and action
The stakes have never been higher. As Europe navigates multiple crises and grapples with polarised debates on food systems, it is clear that the time for action is now.
We must focus on comprehensive solutions that promote cooperation over competition, and cities are uniquely positioned to bridge this divide.
We must seize this opportunity to redesign our food systems in a way that is inclusive, sustainable, and resilient. Cities are ready and willing to lead the way, but they need the support of European institutions to do so effectively.
By harnessing the collective power of cities, rural communities and European policymakers, we can build a food system that benefits everyone
