Choices Breakfast Debate in the European Parliament

November 17th, 2014

On 4 November 2014 Choices organized its second annual stakeholder event. Welcoming more than forty representatives from knowledge institutes, governments, industry, NGOs and the press, this year’s edition took place in the European Parliament and was set up as a healthy breakfast debate. It offered participants the opportunity to try Choices-compliant food, while discussing the key role of European stakeholders in stimulating healthier food choices and the future of positive health logos in Europe and beyond. The event was hosted by Member of Parliament and former DG SANCO Commissioner Pavel Telička, while Clémence Ross, the new Choices Board President and former State Secretary of Health of the Netherlands, took the role of chairperson (see presentation). The other speakers were Dr. Masoud Dara (see presentation), Senior Advisor WHO Office at the European Union, and Dr. Léon Jansen (see presentation), Science Secretary of the Choices International Foundation. The event concluded with a vivid discussion on the role of industry, government and science in reformulation and consumer education to make healthier food choices. Everyone agreed that there is no magic bullet to stop the growth in the prevalence of overweight and obesity, but that only continued collaboration and learning from one another can improve the health of European citizens in the coming years. For the full report of the event, please click here.