International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste: "Tackling Food Loss and Waste: From Production to Redistribution"

Event Description  

Across the European Union, substantial quantities of food never reach the table: lost on farms and in the early stages of the supply chain, or wasted in processing, retail, food service, and households. The consequences extend well beyond the food itself—every tonne lost or wasted represents water, land, energy, and labour spent in vain, along with avoidable greenhouse gas emissions. In a period marked by pressure on household budgets and persistent food insecurity, allowing edible food to go to waste while millions of Europeans struggle, is neither economically nor socially sustainable. Reducing food loss and waste, in line with the ambition of UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, is therefore an essential component of a resilient and fair European food system. 

2026 marks a turning point for EU action in this field. With the revised Waste Framework Directive, binding food waste reduction targets have entered EU law for the first time—but targets alone do not empty landfills or fill food bank shelves. The real test now lies in transposition and delivery at national level, and in the ability of all actors along the chain to work together. On the occasion of the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, this EFF-FEBA event, hosted by MEP Benoit Cassart will bring together policymakers, industry, consumer organisations, farmers' partners, and food banks to take stock of where implementation stands and what remains to be done.  

The event will also offer participants a practical picture of how each link in the chain—from production to redistribution—can contribute to a food system in which less is lost, less is wasted, and more reaches the people who need it. 

Draft Agenda: 

Moderator: Ignazio Corrao, Senior Policy Officer, European Food Banks Federation

15h00 – 15h30 | Opening remarks

• MEP Benoit CASSART, EFF Member

• Herman VAN ROMPUY, President Emeritus of the European Council and former Prime Minister of Belgium

  Esteban ARRIAGA, CEO, European Food Banks Federation

• MEP Valérie DEVAUX

15h30 – 16h50 | Panel Discussion

• Klaus BEREND, Director for Food Safety, Sustainability, and Innovation, DG SANTE

• Joanna STAWOWY, Deputy HoU of Social Sustainability, DG AGRI

• Alex HURLEY, Environment Attaché, Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU

• MEP Benoit CASSART

• Alessandro PICCIONE, Manager, Environment & Circular Economy, FoodDrinkEurope

• Olivia BROWN, Policy Officer, Euroconsumers

• Els BEDERT, Director, Product Policy & Sustainability, EuroCommerce

• Nathalie RENAUDIN, Director of Institutional Relations, Edenred

• Angela RUTTLEDGE, FEBA member that has experience in collaborating with farmers (Ireland)

Q&A

16h55 – 17h00 | Closing remarks

• MEP Benoit CASSART

• Esteban ARRIAGA or Bernard VALLUIS, European Food Banks Federation