Policy Dialogue - Healthy Diets by Design: EU Rules and Investments that Protect Health

Reducing diet-related chronic diseases and inequalities through smarter policies and healthier food environments

On the 21st of April 2026 at 14:00-16:00 CEST, a high-level policy dialogue will take place at the European Parliament, in Brussels, bringing together policymakers, researchers, and civil society to explore how EU initiatives can incentivise, healthier, delicious, affordable and more sustainable diets. 

This event is organised by MEP Manuela Ripa and MEP Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis on behalf of the European Parliament Interest Group on Health Inequalities, Prevention and Risk Factors, together with the co-organising partners EuroHealthNet, the FEAST Project (Horizon Europe) and the EAT Foundation.

Policy Dialogue: Healthy diets by design – invitation

Why this event matters

Across Europe, unhealthy diets are a leading driver of preventable diseases such as cardiovascular conditions, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. These challenges are closely linked to wider food environments that shape daily choices—often making unhealthy options more accessible, affordable, and heavily marketed.

At the same time, food systems contribute significantly to environmental pressures, including greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. These intersecting challenges call for coordinated EU action that aligns health, social, agricultural, and environmental policies.

This policy dialogue will focus on how the EU can:

  • Make healthy and sustainable diets the easy and affordable choice
  • Reduce health inequalities linked to diet
  • Align public funding and incentives with prevention and long-term health outcomes
  • Strengthen food environments through smarter regulation and investment

Join online

Follow the discussion online and be part of shaping the future of healthier food environments in Europe.

Register here

What to expect

The event will feature:

  • High-level contributions from EU policymakers and experts
  • Evidence from the FEAST project on effective policy and investment strategies
  • A panel discussion showcasing solutions from EU to local level
  • An interactive exchange on how to turn shared priorities into coordinated action

Key topics include:

  • Fiscal measures and subsidies
  • Regulation of ultra-processed foods and marketing
  • Healthy public procurement and school food schemes
  • Food labelling and consumer environments
  • Aligning the EU budget and agricultural policy with health goals
About us

This policy dialogue is supported by the secretariat of the MEP Interest Group on Health Inequalities, Prevention and Risk Factors, comprising EuroHealthNet and EUPHA.

The dialogue is organised in the framework of the FEAST Project, in which EuroHealthNet is a partner and, together with Roskilde University, co-leads the policy work package with the EAT Foundation, KU Leuven and other European partners.

Agenda

 

14:00 - 14:05 | Practical opening

  • Caroline Costongs, EuroHealthNet Director and member of the Interest Group Secretariat - Hybrid housekeeping and how to intervene (room + online Q&A).

 

14:05 - 14:17 | Opening and welcome

  • MEP Manuela Ripa and MEP Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, Co-Hosts/Co-Chairs, Interest Group –Why this matters now: making healthy diets affordable and protecting Europeans from unhealthy food environments; what Parliament can do as co-legislator and budgetary authority.

  • Dorota Sienkiewicz, EuroHealthNet EU liaison expert – What the next EU long-term budget and EU’s agriculture policy must deliver to make healthy diets the easy, affordable choice.

     

14:17 - 14:30 | Setting the scene: Why smarter investment and stronger EU rules are both needed to create healthier food environments

  • Dr. Anant Jani, Heidelberg/Oxford and FEAST Coordinator – What FEAST brings to the EU policy agenda: evidence on which policy, investment and regulatory choices can shift diets fairly and effectively. 

  • Fabrice DeClerck, Chief Science Officer, EAT Foundation and FEAST Partner – The Planetary Health Diet in the 2025 EAT-Lancet Report: a strategic reference point for EU investment, food policy and healthier food environments.

     

14:30 - 15:05 | Panel: From EU frameworks to national and local action for healthier food environments - signposting solutions

Moderated by Fabrice DeClerck, EAT Foundation

  • Aim: To show how EU frameworks, funding, evidence and public health guidance can drive national and local action for healthier food environments and more affordable, accessible and fair diets — especially for children and other groups facing the greatest inequalities.

    Lightning interventions:

    • MEP Romana Jerković, European Parliamen

      Embedding healthier food environments in the EU cardiovascular health strategy.

    • Piroska Kállay, European Economic and Social Committee

      Participatory and inclusive food systems governance shaping healthier food environments.

    • Julianne Williams, WHO Europe

      Guidance for national action on healthier food environments: legal options, fiscal tools and equity-sharp cross-country learning.

    • Dr. Stefanie Vandevijvere, Sciensano and FEAST Partner

      Building the evidence base for smarter domestic public health policy and investment choices on food systems, food environments and consumption.

    • Camille Perrin, EU Food Policy Coalition

      Citizens’ voices in food policy: coherent action, fair food environments and investment that matches ambition and urgency.

       

15:05 - 15:50 | Collective discussion: From frameworks, evidence and shared priorities to coordinated system-wide action – from what to how.

Moderated by Caroline Costongs, EuroHealthNet

  • Discussion with MEPs, European Commission, Permanent Representations and partners.
     
  • Aim: To identify concrete, coordinated next steps across EU, national and local levels to turn shared priorities on healthier food environments into system-wide action.
     
  • Guiding questions:
     
    • EU actions that matter most now: Which EU priorities and moves would most improve healthy, fair and sustainable diets, and how can wider EU health strategies better support upstream prevention? 
       
    • Coherent system-wide policy approach: How can rules, funding and fiscal measures work together in ways that are effective, realistic and equitable? 
       

    • Turning ambition into delivery: What is needed for national and local implementation, and what role should each actor play in moving towards coordinated system-wide action, beyond analysing the problem to delivering solutions?

       

15:50 - 16:00 | Closing

  • MEP Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis and MEP Manuela Ripa - Political takeaways and agreed “asks”.

  • Dr. Anant Jani,  Heidelberg/Oxford and FEAST Coordinator - How outcomes will be taken forward (follow-up note, policy inputs, next convening).

  • Caroline Costongs, EuroHealthNet Director - Closing remarks and thanks.