Food2020

The Food Industry has an important economic impact in the Dutch-German INTERREG A CBC region and is characterized by a large amount of SMEs on both sides of the border. Specially the SMEs are challenged by the development in the global food market and by the demands of consumers. In order to make the regional food business fit for the future by improving their competitiveness the project FOOD2020 is developed in-line with the Europe 2020 Strategy on smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. In FOOD2020 the five topics of the European Strategy - research and development, climate change and sustainability, social inclusion, education and employment – are adapted for the food sector in the region by setting up cross-border networks among companies, and research and educational institutions. The development of new products and processes, the demand of resource efficiency in food processing and the safeguard of high educated employees for working on novel technologies will be initiated in FOOD2020 by tailor-made Innovation Projects and Feasibility Studies following the needs of the food sector in the region. For the five topics in total 10 cross-border Innovation Projects are launched, so that at least 84 companies will adapt the results. Additionally 25 Feasibility Studies will be operated in the five topics to provide approaches to solve actual problems in 50 companies. The Feasibility Studies are the base for developments in the follow-up Phase.