Joint letter to the EU Commission: more than 15 European organisations call for sustainable public food procurement

18 January 2024

Sustainable food procurement, as shown by countless studies and good practices across Europe, is an effective mechanism to promote healthy diets, fight malnutrition, combat food insecurity, foster the demand for fair and organic products and support small-scale farmers. All while maintaining stable costs.

A transition to more sustainable, healthier, and affordable diets is not only something that has been promised to EU citizens, but is also critical to combating climate change.

That’s why, 15+ organisations, sent an open letter to President Ursula von der Leyen and Commissioners EU with one clear message: let’s use public food procurement to provide more sustainable and healthier food.

The European organisations, including Fondazione Ecosistemi for Italy, call to clearly define the areas for the future development of minimum mandatory sustainable food procurement criteria and, in particular, to include these 4 strategic minimum standards:

  • The achievable target of 20% organic products
  • A minimum of 10% of food products coming from small-scale producers
  • A culturally-appropriate, planet-friendly food procurement and education based on less animal protein
  • An EU minimum standard on healthy school meals combined with food education

 

Read the letter and join us in advocating for healthier and fairer food systems.

Social media

News

Green Deal: The Only Path to Revive Industry and Jobs. Forum Compraverde 2025 Kicks Off

Green Deal: The Only Path to Revive Industry and Jobs. Forum Compraverde 2025 Kicks Off

Climate change is no longer a future threat—it’s a daily reality for Italy and the entire Mediterranean region. With extreme weather events on the rise and growing pressure on our production systems, the European Green Deal is not only a necessary response but also a unique opportunity for economic and job recovery. On the eve of the Forum Compraverde Buygreen 2025, Fondazione Ecosistemi puts forward a strong and tangible proposal: turning public procurement into a driver of the green and industrial transition through the Buy European and Sustainable Act (BESA).

From schools to the supply chain: how school catering leads the green turn in Europe

From schools to the supply chain: how school catering leads the green turn in Europe

School catering is a candidate to become one of the drivers of the ecological transition of food systems in Europe. This will be discussed on 15th May at the Compraverde Buygreen Forum in Rome, during the international meeting ‘School catering promoting the ecological and just transition of local food systems in Europe’. The event, realised in collaboration with the European project SchoolFood4Change, will bring together institutions, schools and operators from different countries to discuss the most effective strategies to reduce the environmental impact of the local food supply chain, promote short supply chains, ensure social equity and disseminate good practices and innovative policies.

Sustainable food at school: the global approach that changes food systems

Sustainable food at school: the global approach that changes food systems

Transforming the food system starting from schools. This is the challenge at the centre of the meeting ‘The Global Approach to School Food’, scheduled for 15th May 2025 at the Compraverde Buygreen Forum in Rome. An appointment that focuses on one of the most promising levers for promoting healthy and sustainable lifestyles: food education integrated into the daily practices of schools. The methodology presented, the Whole School Food Approach (WSFA), was born within the European project SchoolFood4Change and is proposed as a concrete tool to rethink school food. It is not just a question of improving the meals served in the canteen, but of involving the entire school ecosystem: from participatory governance, to teaching, to the relationship with the local area and families.