In the 2nd phase of Food Chains 4 Europe project (2020-2021), the project partners will implement their actions plans aimed at contributing to sustainable innovation of food chains in the five project regions: Greater Manchester (UK), Plovdiv/Sofia (BG), Flevoland (NL), Maramures (RO) and Emilia-Romagna (IT).
During 3 years of working together within FoodChains 4 EU project (2017-2019), our inter-regional partnership has constantly developed, bringing together members of project teams, experts in food chains sector and local stakeholders from each region involved in FC4EU project. The participants at the learning process of FC4EU project have emphasized their large appreciation for project activities, interregional partnership and lessons learned on food chains innovation:
- ”Having access to experiences and best practices in different partner regions, people involved managed to accumulate valuable information about what innovation in food chain means at this moment.”
- ”Solutions tested in one part of Europe can become accelerators of change in other regions involved in interregional cooperation projects.”
- ”Such projects need to be replicated, in order to help more people involved in food sector, as well as those who want to start a business in this field, to develop a successful activity.”
All regional action plans prepared in 1st phase of FC4EU project have been approved by Interreg Europe Program:
- Greater Manchester (UK) creates a strategic leadership in region and establishes a food innovation and enterprise fund;
- Plovdiv/Sofia (BG) develops food chain innovation by improved R&D services and a cooperation platform;
- Flevoland (NL) creates a tool-kit for supporting regional SMEs in food sector and organizes regional supplying events of Flevoland food products;
- Maramures (RO) promotes innovation of local quality food products by implementing ”Good of Maramures” labeling system;
- Emilia Romagna (IT) develops a sustainable food packaging platform.
FC4EU Action Plans are available in Library section
DETAILS about Regional Action Plans of FoodChains 4 EU project:
1) Food Chains 4 EU Action Plan for Greater Manchester (UK) aims to improve governance and opportunity around the food industry in GM. Through the food strategy and associated work plans, the food will be included to a greater extent in allied GM policies and stronger integration of innovation and economic development policies with social and environmental goals associated with food. The Food Innovation and Enterprise Fund in Oldham will support creation of a thriving network of food and growing businesses and foundation for developing and delivering ambitions of large-scale 160-acre ‘Northern Roots’ project.
2) Regional Action Plan Euro Perspectives Foundation (BG) aims to increase the number of innovative SMEs in food chain of South Central Region of Bulgaria, through:
- Development of business model presenting effective type of services, necessary infrastructure and model of cooperation between businesses and academia in a regional innovation and/or hub;
- Creating a working group in order to initiate the process of setting up a regional innovation center to boost R&D in food chain related to SMEs.
3) Action Plan ”Strengthening regional innovation policies to build sustainable food chains” is implemented in Region of Flevoland (NL), focusing on supporting regional food SME’s through the Recipe4Success programme, developing a professional business platform, setting a legal form to jointly sell regional products, strengthening exchange of knowledge and experiences in the short food supply chain network in Flevoland and providing regional food to different regional events: Music Festival Lowlands, Floriade Expo 2022, Metropolitan region of Amsterdam.
4) Action Plan "Development of food chain in Maramures County” aims to support sustainable innovation process in this field, using instruments that enhance the value of local products, representative for Maramures County through ”Bun de Maramures” - ”Good of Maramures” label. 
The systems regarding "Good of Maramures" labeling and promotion of local products and producers will boost local material and human resources and will ensure and maintain the quality of products, promoting both traditional products and those that include innovation results on packaging, promotion, products, technologies, know-how etc.
5) Action Plan of Emilia-Romagna Region is focused on 
Sustainable Innovation in Food Packaging. Peer Review recommendations and project partners Good Practices inspired 2 complementary actions:
Action 1 will monitor and follow-up innovation projects in the agro-food packaging, financed by ERDF - ROP and EAFRD - RDP, in terms of sustainability, innovation and integration of the food chains.
Action 2 aims to set-up a steady group (Company - Research - University - Institution), to share experiences and knowledge on sustainable packaging.
