1. National Platforms meeting
Rome, 14 April 2007
1st “Food for Life”
National Platforms meeting
Daniele Rossi
Chairman of “Italian Food for Life”

2. National platforms: how many?
First European National “Food for Life” Platforms meeting in Rome, with 32 experiences, different case-histories.
24 of them answered the questionnaire and we drafted a structured synthesis of the feedbacks (Israel and Lithuania sent it yesterday).
We will focus on the main results:
Rome, 14 April 2007

3. Date of foundation From 2005 to 2007.
3 of them established in a different way in the previous year (Germany, Belgium – Flanders, Switzerland).
5 of them have not been formally established yet (France, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine).
National Federations are the key founders, leaders and actors in 27 out of 32.
Rome, 14 April 2007

4. Number of industries involved at the beginning
In total industrial companies involved from the first beginning.
750 of them are SMEs.
The average in the National Platforms is 46 companies and 24 are SMEs.
Each platform is open to enlarge the industrial partnership.
Rome, 14 April 2007

5. Research organization
532 involved form the first beginning.
17 in average for each platform.
70% public sector.
30% private sector.
Rome, 14 April 2007

6. Organisational Structure
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE / STEERING GROUP
CHAIRMAN AND SOMETIMES VICECHAIRMEN
SECRETARY GENERAL
ADVISORY BOARD/ SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
MIRROR GROUP
Rome, 14 April 2007

7. Activities and Events Vision draft Consultation
First meeting of the promoters
Second vision draft
First meeting of the stakeholders
Third draft vision
Workshops and seminars
Launch of the Vision
Organizational structure
Last consultation on website
Public presentation
Rome, 14 April 2007

8. Role
Food and Drink Industry Federations have a leading role in the national food platforms
Some national agencies, private and public National R&D centers, universities help the Federations
Rome, 14 April 2007

9. Main research priorities
Food quality
Food safety
Traditional/local products
Food and health
Consumers information and protections
Rome, 14 April 2007

10. Annual budget on food research
675 million euro per year.
An average of per country.
High variance.
High uncertainty.
Plural annual budgets through laws.
Rome, 14 April 2007

11. Stakeholders involved Government awareness Selection of priorities
Success activities
Method of planning
Stakeholders involved
Government awareness
Selection of priorities
Selection of Research Centers
Involvement of Academy
SMEs involvement
Rome, 14 April 2007

12. Limits Research funds Operational structure and services
Local dissemination
Reluctance to accept the industry leadership from the academy and the public
Educational programmes /technology transfer to SMEs – lack of innovation culture
Financial availability from banking sector
Rome, 14 April 2007

13. Funding of the Platforms
Industry budget (from euro to euro yearly).
Some research promotion agencies and ministries (Agriculture, Economics, Research & Technology) from to euro yearly.
Rome, 14 April 2007

14. What to do Clearing the procedures Scenario studies
Swot analysis to the initiatives
Agreement with the financial institutes
New competences on technology transfer (SMEs-NET, Teruefood, consumers' science, Tetra project)
Spreading of innovation culture in Industry and society
More future collaboration and networking
More and more COMMUNICATION
Rome, 14 April 2007