THE CHALLENGE: INSTITUTIONAL DISCONNECTION

For many research consortia, the greatest risk to long-term impact is legislative isolation. A project may successfully develop a sustainable solution, but without timely and structured dialogue with key bodies—such as the European Commission, the Joint Research Centre (JRC), or the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)—it can be difficult for these breakthroughs to inform future regulatory frameworks. Without a proactive strategy for institutional engagement, innovative results risk remaining within academic circles rather than contributing to the evidence-based blueprints required for new legislation.

OUR ROLE: FACILITATING INSTITUTIONAL PRESENCE

Leveraging our institutional presence, we integrate project outcomes into the heart of the EU legislative dialogue. By positioning research results within the current political and regulatory agenda and engaging with influential bodies, we advocate for frameworks that support innovation and dismantle barriers to the sustainable growth of the agrifood industry.

We do not view lobbying as mere “promotion.” Instead, we practice Strategic Advocacy through Technical Excellence. We translate the raw data of a project into the specific evidentiary format that policymakers require to justify legislative reform. Our role is to facilitate that when the European Commission reviews the “Farm to Fork” strategy or the “Circular Economy Action Plan,” your project’s results are part of the evidence base.

IMPACT IN ACTION: STRATEGIC ADVOCACY CASE STUDIES

Our participation in prominent European clusters and research consortia allows us to contribute technical insights to the ongoing dialogue surrounding EU food and environmental policy.

Leading the Protein Transition

We spearheaded policy advocacy within the Horizon4Proteins cluster, an alliance of four major EU-funded projects for the ProFuture project. By co-authoring high-impact policy briefs and contributing to direct dialogues with the European Commission, we highlighted the “regulatory ceilings” hindering microalgae and alternative proteins. This coordinated lobbying effort provided a unified voice to advocate for streamlined authorization processes, directly influencing the EU’s “dietary shift” agenda.

Harmonizing Waste Metrics

In the WASTELESS project, our strategy focused on dismantling “data fragmentation.” We acted as the mediator between technical innovators and institutional bodies like the JRC and Eurostat. By ensuring that the project’s digital quantification tools were aligned with official NACE/CPA nomenclatures, we lobbied for a unified EU monitoring standard, turning project outputs into the “gold standard” for future waste reporting legislation.

Blue Circularity Reform

In the EcoeFISHent project, we leveraged our presence in the Blue Economy sector to author best-practice manuals and policy briefs targeted at regional and European authorities. Our advocacy focused on reclassifying Animal By-Products (ABP) as high-value assets, effectively lobbying for a shift in how circular business models are regulated in the maritime sector.

Securing Cross-Border Trade Pathways

In the CAMELMILK project, we advocated for the recognition of traditional Mediterranean products. By engaging with health and food safety authorities, we successfully positioned camel milk as a viable “superfood” niche, advocating for its inclusion in the European regulatory framework under simplified Novel Food procedures.