Summary:
A high-level online event on 31 March 2026 will bring together four EU-funded research projects – EFF-CoP, ACT4FOOD, SecureFood, and DEFENSEFOOD – to address growing threats to food security across Europe, including fraud, cyber and cyber-physical risks, and chemical, biological, and radiological (CBR) hazards.
The event will convene experts and stakeholders to examine how these interconnected risks impact food availability, safety, and resilience, while exploring coordinated strategies for prevention, detection, response, and recovery.
Through project presentations, a roundtable discussion, and audience Q&A, participants will identify shared challenges, gaps, and policy priorities to strengthen Europe’s preparedness and safeguard its food systems against evolving crises.
— Press Release —
Safeguarding Food Security in Europe: EU projects join forces against fraud, cyber and CBR threats
Four European research and innovation initiatives will come together on 31 March 2026 for a high-level online event focused on safeguarding food security in Europe by addressing fraud, crisis risks, cyber threats, and chemical, biological and radiological (CBR) hazards across the food supply chain.
The online meeting, hosted via Zoom from 14:00 to 15:30 CET, will bring together experts, project partners, and stakeholders to explore how emerging and evolving threats can undermine food availability, safety, integrity, and resilience, as well as how coordinated action can strengthen Europe’s preparedness in the face of such crises.
A cross-cutting challenge for Europe
Food security is increasingly shaped by complex and interconnected risks. From food fraud and weak governance to cyber-physical attacks and major CBR incidents, today’s threats demand integrated solutions that span prevention, detection, response, and recovery.
This joint event frames food security as a cross-cutting challenge, linking system integrity, operational continuity, and crisis preparedness. Through project presentations and an interactive roundtable discussion, participants will examine how different threat vectors interact and where collaborative approaches can deliver greater impact.
Participating projects
The event will feature presentations from four EU-funded projects, each offering a distinct but complementary perspective on protecting Europe’s food systems:
- EFF-CoP: addressing food fraud risks and reinforcing trust as key pillars of food security,
- ACT4FOOD: tackling cyber and cyber-physical threats affecting food systems,
- SecureFood: strengthening food system resilience and governance to support long-term food security,
- DEFENSEFOOD: enhancing preparedness and response to major chemical, biological and radiological (CBR) threats.
Each project will present how its work contributes to safeguarding food security, followed by a moderated roundtable discussion exploring shared challenges, complementarities, gaps, and joint policy messages. The event will then conclude with an open Q&A session, offering participants the opportunity to engage directly with project experts.
Key discussion topics
- How fraud, cyber, and CBR threats undermine food security,
- Which dimensions of food security are most at risk today,
- Where current approaches complement each other – and where vulnerabilities remain,
- What joint messages should be communicated to policymakers and stakeholders.
Event details
Title: ‘Safeguarding Food Security in Europe: Managing Fraud, Crisis Risks, CBR and Cyber Threats Across the Food Supply Chain’
Date: 31 March 2026
Time: 14:00–15:30 CET
Format: Online (Zoom)
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The SecureFood project is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant agreement No. 101136583. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Disclaimer:
The use of brand names and/or any mention or listing of specific commercial products or services herein is solely for educational purposes and does not imply endorsement by Muser Press or our partners, nor discrimination against similar brands, products or services not mentioned.
Article Source:
Press Release/Material by Ben Moore | SecureFood
Featured image credit: Muser Press (AI-Gen.)
