HDHL Conference Brief Calls for Action on Europe’s Food Systems
Our new brief from the HDHL Conference (Brussels, April 2026) calls for stronger action to create healthier, fairer and more sustainable food environments in Europe. The focus is not only on what should change, but on who needs to act—policymakers, researchers and research funders.
Why this matters
Europe faces rising diet-related disease, inequalities in access to healthy food, and growing environmental pressure. These challenges affect not only public health, but also economic performance and long-term sustainability.
At the same time, there are important EU policy opportunities that can drive progress if action is coordinated and timely.
Key priorities at a glance
The brief points to six main areas where action is needed:
- Stronger regulation for healthier food environments
- Better transparency and accountability
- More involvement of citizens and local knowledge
- Greater focus on implementation and real impact
- Support for participatory, bottom-up approaches
- Use of public procurement to drive change
A shared effort across sectors
The message is clear: Progress depends on coordinated action between policymakers, researchers and funders, as well as better alignment between evidence, policy and practice. HDHL plays a key role in enabling this collaboration — bringing stakeholders together, connecting knowledge with real-world action, and helping turn shared priorities into concrete progress towards healthier and more sustainable food systems in Europe.