FoodServiceEurope, formerly the European Federation of Contract Catering Organisations (FERCO), held its third Food Service Roundtable to discuss the on-going public procurement reform with decision makers from the three EU institutions. The event, hosted by IMCO coordinator Toine Manders MEP (ALDE), took place in the European Parliament and brought together senior business managers of Europe’s leading contract catering companies Compass, Elior, ISS, Sodexo and Trivalor and national contract catering associations.

Following the European Parliament’s decision to enter into Trilogue negotiations, the contract catering industry proposes 4 key actions to ensure the quality and value of food services provided through public procurement. “It is a crucial moment for public procurement. We have to take this opportunity to ensure the best value for money in public procurement and the best possible conditions for the provision of high quality services,” said Rocco Renaldi, FoodServiceEurope Secretary General.

“If we are serious about promoting nutrition, health and sustainability we have to recognise the key role of public procurement. The contract catering sector stands ready to play its part, but it needs a strong and ambitious EU legal framework to enable operators to compete on quality for the provision of the six billion meals it serves to Europeans every year, in hospitals, schools and care homes among other settings,” Mr. Renaldi underlined.