The policies are classified in terms of goals, targets and instruments in support of the identification of policy gaps and priorities.
Policy goals are high order statements of desired outcomes describing the fundamental outcomes that a policy aims to achieve through its activities. The adopted goals of a policy are classified according to SUSFANS conceptual framework1, slightly adjusted to reflect the desired outcomes expressed in EU or national policies which are provided in the figure (in orange):
More specifically, the chosen food policy goals are:
Subgoals: The sub-goals of the policy according to the SUSFANS classification which are provided in the figure under each goal.
1SUSFANS (Metrics, Models and Foresight for European Sustainable Food And Nutrition Security) is a H2020 multidisciplinary research program aimed at building the conceptual framework, the evidence-based and analytical tools for underpinning EU-wide food policies with respect to their impact on consumer diet and their implications for nutrition and public health in the EU, the environment, the competitiveness of the EU agri-food sectors, and global FNS
Primary target: the main societal group towards which the policy action is directed or applied by the instrument used; The mapped policies refer to the entire food system: from inputs, primary production, harvesting, storage, processing, packaging and distribution, to consumers. The mapping has considered not only policies targeting actors involved in the food system, but also those targeting actors who, even if not directly involved in the food system, can influence food availability and consumption or other related matters (e.g. the logistic sector, import/export companies, the education sector, research institutions, the health sector, media and public authorities). The following primary targets are considered in the food policy classification:
Ultimate beneficiary: the societal group that is linked to the overall policy goal (e.g. a ban on trans-fats affects directly manufacturing companies but is intended to promote healthy eating habits among consumers, who thus are the ultimate beneficiaries). The following ultimate beneficiaries are considered in the food policy classification:
Techniques or means through which public actors (e.g. national and EU government bodies, public agencies, etc.) attempt to attain their goals. The following policy instruments are considered in the food policy classification: