FREN

Freeing up public procurement of food

A simple objective: a three-part European regulation to renovate public procurement.

This plea highlights that the sustainable food systems regulation currently being drafted at the European level should integrate three issues:

1

To redefine food as part of a global health perspective, in close connection with its environment.

For what purpose? To open up the possibility of introducing geographical criteria into food procurement contracts. This is not about promoting local for local’s sake, but rather a local that contributes to regional development and overall resilience. In the future, any local authority should be able to make a secure purchase from a producer who can contribute to planting hedges, restoring soil, improving air and water quality, diversifying the agricultural sector, and re-establishing certain food sectors within its territory.

2

To bring together in a single regulation the requirements scattered throughout European law.

What’s the point? To highlight the fact that food is rooted in a broader body of law, and to promote greater coherence in European law. Soil Directive is about food. Water directives, regulations on plastics, on traceability, on transparency… also concern food.

3

To allow a free choice of procedure for 50% of the annual volume of food purchases.

What purpose? To address the difficulties caused by price and volume volatility, and by the lack of flexibility in terms of clauses on duration and negotiability of contracts, to reach out more effectively to small-scale producers, and to halt the drastic and accelerating decline in the number of farmers. Free choice is not the same as free choice to do anything. The suspicions surrounding such a proposal overlook that mutual agreement exists and is perfectly legal. Our proposal is based on a public territorial strategy based on a diagnosis of the needs of the territory and constructed within an inter-stakeholder framework.

Let's put the question simply: a framework for freeing up public procurement? and why not ?

Watch the declaration presentation webinars !

Webinar of January 24, 2024

Webinar of April 26, 2024

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Liège Métropole supports the manifesto to free up public procurement

France urbaine, Eating City, Agores, the Lascaux European Center for Transitions and the Walloon Manger…
16 juillet 2024

Freeing up public procurement in the food sector: the city of brussels joins our advocacy campaign

Supported by several networks, the European plea to change the framework for public procurement was…
16 juillet 2024

The first signatories of the plea to free up public procurement to strenghten food policies

France urbaine (which brings together the biggest french cities), together with Agores (experts in local…
22 mai 2024

Freeing up public procurement for strengthened food policies : review of the april 26 webinar

Launched on February 9th, at the initiative of the France urbaine, Agores, Lascaux European center…
22 mai 2024

This declaration cannot be signed by individuals, but on behalf of organizations and their networks (local authorities and their associations, NGOs and their networks, business associations, etc.) committed to these issues and supporting this proposal. The declaration will be distributed ahead of the European election campaign, and be given to newly elected members of parliament and members of the Commission after the elections. You’lle receive a confirmation by e-mail.

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