The 9^th Plenary meeting of the EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste (FLW) took place virtually via Webex Meetings on 10 December 2020 from 10:00 to 17:00.

The meeting provided the opportunity to take stock of the assessment carried out by the German Presidency to the Council of the European Union, of progress made by Member States and the Commission on the implementation of the 2016 Council conclusions on food losses and food waste. It also facilitated the exchange of best practices related to date marking, food redistribution and preventing food loss and waste in the food services and hospitality sectors. The Commission provided an update on the implementation of the Farm to Fork Strategy, as well as on the progress and future outlook of EU actions to prevent food loss and waste. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) also presented the first part of its scientific opinion for ‘Guidance on date marking and related food information’.

The meeting was web streamed for all interested stakeholders and the recording and the presentations are published on the European Commission’s food waste website, but can also be accessed through the links listed below:

• Agenda
• Video recording of the meeting
• Presentation - Update on the implementation of the Farm to Fork Strategy – European Commission, DG SANTE
• Presentation - Assessment by the German Presidency of progress made on the implementation of June 2016 Council conclusions - update from 16 November informal videoconference of Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries
• Presentation – EU actions to prevent food loss and waste: progress and future outlook - European Commission, DG SANTE
• Presentation - Update on food waste prevention activities from the European Food Banks Federation
• Presentation - Recovery and redistribution of surplus food through online platforms - FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia
• Presentation - Scientific opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Biological Hazards – Guidance on date marking and related food information: part 1
• Presentation - Campaign to increase understanding of date marking - Too Good To Go & Ministry for Agriculture and Food, France
• Presentation - A voluntary agreement initiative for the hospitality and food service sectors in Europe - International Food Waste Coalition
• Presentation - Developing a circular economy model for food in healthcare facilities - Health Care Without Harm
• Presentation - Measuring and reducing food waste in canteens in healthcare, schools, and company restaurants – FoodWIN

The Commission invited interested stakeholders to pencil in their agendas the dates of the next meetings of the Platform and its subgroups (planned as virtual meetings for the moment), which will also be web streamed:

• Plenary meetings: 18 March and 14 October 2021;
• Sub-group on Food Donation: 11 February 2021;
• Sub-group on Action & Implementation: 25 February 2021;
• Subgroup on Food Waste Measurement:  4 March 2021;
• Sub-group on Date Marking: July 2021.