The Traceability & Big Data Partnership recently held an exchange with representatives of the Urban Agenda for the EU Food Partnership as part of their work under Action 3 – Connecting local food strategies with S3/RIS3 and regional programmes.

The Urban Agenda for the EU Food Partnership is one of the thematic partnerships established under the Urban Agenda for the EU, bringing together cities, Member States, the European Commission and other stakeholders to improve EU legislation, funding and knowledge exchange on urban food systems. Within its current work programme, Action 3 – Connecting local food strategies with S3/RIS3 and regional programmes explores how local food policies can better connect with regional Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3), regional innovation ecosystems and interregional thematic partnerships, with the aim of strengthening multilevel governance and fostering innovation across Europe's food systems.

The Urban Agenda for the EU Food Partnership is exploring how stronger connections can be built between local food policies, cities and metropolitan areas, and regional innovation ecosystems supported by Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3). The objective is to identify practical ways to improve cooperation between local authorities and regional innovation actors, ensuring that research, innovation and investment priorities better support sustainable and resilient food systems.

During the meeting, the Traceability & Big Data coordination team presented the Partnership's governance model, its regional focus within the S3 Community of Practice, and the role of partner regions, thematic working groups and innovation stakeholders in driving interregional collaboration. The discussion also addressed the potential role of local authorities in S3 Partnerships, highlighting both the opportunities for stronger collaboration and the governance challenges arising from the different competences of regional and local authorities.

The exchange will contribute to the analytical work of Action 3, which aims to develop recommendations for improving synergies between regional Smart Specialisation Strategies and local food initiatives across Europe.

The preliminary findings of this work will be presented during the Urban Agenda for the EU Food Partnership webinar on 2 September 2026, where the Action 3 team will share its emerging recommendations and gather feedback from stakeholders to support the development of the final roadmap.

The Traceability & Big Data Partnership is pleased to contribute to this important initiative and looks forward to continuing the dialogue on how regional innovation ecosystems can better connect with local food system challenges and opportunities.

Event information, policy brief and registration: Webinar "Connecting local food strategies with S3/RIS3 and regional programmes" | UAEU