• H2020
• Societal Challenges
• Bioeconomy

The European Commission has launched an online consultation on the role that science and innovation can play in ensuring the EU has safe, nutritious, sufficient and sustainable food from a global perspective.

It comes as Milan hosts the 2015 Universal Expo, where the major theme for the Expo is ‘Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life’.

The Commissioner responsible for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport as well as the Joint Research Centre, Tibor Navracsics, commented: “The European Union has a vital role to play in tackling the challenges associated with food and nutrition security and sustainability. Expo 2015 offers us a great opportunity to showcase what the EU is already doing in this field.

“I hope it will also breathe new life into our efforts and further foster international collaboration. I commend the work of the Joint Research Centre and look forward to working on these issues closely with my colleagues, in particular my fellow Commissioners in charge of agriculture, health, research, environment and development.”

The chairman of the Expo 2015 EU Scientific Steering Committee Franz Fischler added: “I believe that science and innovation are crucial if we are to guarantee access to safe and nutritious food for all, produced in a sustainable way. We have worked hard to ensure that Expo 2015 has a strong scientific dimension. I hope that the consultation and the discussion paper will steer a global debate.”