Members of the ECR Group in the Committee of the Regions met in Torun, Poland on Friday 26 September and discussed the potential role of sustainable food practices and food tourism in stimulating regional growth. The Group members adopted conclusions containing proposals on how best to unlock the potential of cities, municipalities and regions to generate smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.

ECR Group Bureau Member Adam Banaszak (Vice-President of Kujawsko-Pomorskie regional parliament/Poland) said "the EU growth strategy, Europe 2020, must really unlock the potential of our regions. Sustainable food production and consumption will help ensure healthy citizens and help bring down health costs while also raising the quality of our products. Food tourism is a key to unlock our regions potential to stimulate national growth. Over a third of tourist spending is devoted to food. Europe2020 must unlock this potential."

 ECR Group President Gordon Keymer CBE (Leader of Tandridge District Council/UK) noted "food tourism and sustainable food is also important from a cultural perspective. It not only enables us to preserve our culinary heritage but it is also an important promotion tool. We had a fruitful meeting and successfully explored this issue in one of the leading agricultural regions of Europe."

 The EUs growth strategy, Europe 2020, is due to undergo a mid-term review during the first half of 2015. Among the flagship of the strategy is the flagship initiative for a resource-efficient Europe.

 The conclusions adopted during the meeting underlined that food tourism has the potential to help extend short tourism seasons to a more sustainable year long period. The conclusions also underline that cooperation among all sectors (public and private), where key to ensuring sustainable food and unlocking the economic potentials of food tourism.