The European Commission has invited a representative from the World Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM) to attend a meeting on food sustainability later this month.
WUWM submitted a paper identifying several key issues and analysis themes for the commission’s hearing, including contributions from various members in different European countries.
These drew attention to the core issues and role of markets in the five areas of: public health, food access and social exclusion; food security and food safety; employment and resilience of SMEs; food wastage and waste management; and competitiveness.
The offered documentation cited several examples of activities underway on European wholesale and retail markets that support positive developments in these areas, encouraging the commission to include markets as vital contributors to these discussions.
Michel Ganneau, WUWM honorary member, will attend the food sustainability event. The meeting will focus on food systems, looking at the interdependency of production and consumption patterns, and seeking to identify lock-ins and policy gaps. The meeting will also explore priority areas and action themes that address policy gaps, and explore the co-operation and common ground to be found between various stakeholders, applying the results to food policy and governance.
WUWM believes that wholesale and retail markets are a credible answer to many of the problems evident in food production and consumption in Europe. The union said in its statement: 'If there is to be progress towards food sustainability in Europe, alongside regional, urban, economic and social development, it is a major priority that both local and regional decision-makers understand, address and support the needs of markets and their traders.'
