Invitation to participate in the EU City Labs on Local Food Systems

These EU City Labs are timely planned in a year where your Food Partnership of the Urban Agenda for the EU is launching its activities and in light of an EU legislative proposal for a Sustainable Food System Framework, following EU initiatives like the Farm to Fork Strategy and the European Green Deal which highlight the importance of a model shift to fairer, healthier and environmentally-friendlier food systems.

While the EU City Labs will be open to any European city, we would like to integrate key questions and reflections of your Partnership to serve and accelerate your work.

It is within this framework and following the findings of the ex-assessment report of the Food Partnership that we plan to organise the following EU City Labs:

-Changing habits when it comes to food production/consumption/distribution, on 21-22 March 2024 in Mouans-Sartoux (France), partner of the Food Partnership of the Urban Agenda for the EU, and Lead Partner city of two URBACT “Biocanteens” networks transferring the city’s good practice of municipal canteens serving almost 100% local, organic, and seasonal food. The programme and the registration form are available here.

-Using public procurement for a food model change, in Liège (Belgium) 29-30 May 2024.

-Local land use for urban agriculture, second semester of 2024, location tbd.

Each EU City Lab will be the occasion for participants and experts coming from all over Europe to get more familiar with a holistic and systemic approach to local food systems and to deep dive into good practices and know-how of the hosting cities with discussions and site visits. At the end of the EU City Labs, a series of case studies on the topic will be available, as well as two online training modules on how cities can use public procurement in favour of healthy, local, seasonal and sustainable food.

For any questions and suggestions please contact communication@urbact.eu