The implementation action plan is a crucial part of ETP ‘Food for Life Vision for 2020 and Beyond’, which was published in 2005 to give an overarching strategy for the food chain. It looks to strengthen innovation, improve knowledge transfer, and stimulate competitiveness.
The initiative is driven by the food industry, and while it acts as guidance for food companies, it has been developed using an integrated stakeholder approach; industry, universities and research institutions, funding bodies, the European Commission, and consumer groups have all had a chance to have a say, according to Prof. Dr. Peter van Bladeren, chairman of the ETP Food for Life board.
The implementation action plan, launched in Brussels last week, is “an approach to get to the future as fast and as efficiently as possible,” van Bladeren told FoodNavigator.com.
The document gives a research agenda, and suggestions on how it should be put into action.
“It indicates directions for future research, and where future funding should come from.”
Three key thrusts
The action plan focuses on three ‘key thrusts’ which are seen to reflect the most important priorities for European investment: improving health, well-being and longevity; building consumer support in the food chain; and supporting sustainable and ethical production.
These thrusts “are all important for the whole industry,” said van Bladeren, who is also vice president, science and research, at Nestle.
He stressed that this includes small and medium enterprises, not just the major movers and shakers in the sector. The stakeholders will be working on how to translate and make available the research of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
The next stage for ETP
The next stage – in which all stakeholders will, again, be involved – will be to follow what is happening on projects and where funding is coming from. It will identify gaps, and make suggestions on research that is sorely needed.
An example van Bladeren gave of communication and building consumer trust is around what food is health, and what is not healthy.
Another is developing a system to know more about the diet in the EU, beyond individual studies with limited or local scope. As well as helping to inform industry, such knowledge would also be in the interests of governments and EU institutions.
The ETP is also looking at how to organise work going toward. It is possible that some working groups will be formed for the three key thrusts, and some taskforces to address specific needs.
A meeting is planned for December to discuss this.
Measuring success
The CIAA (Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of the EU) is responsible for measuring the competitiveness of the EU food and drink sector on an annual basis, using financial factors and comparisons with other countries.
The expectation, he said, is that competitiveness will go up in line with more innovation.
The full implementiaon action plan is available here http://www.ciaa.eu/documents/brochures/Broch%20ETP_IAPlan_1.pdf