This paper explores the challenges in meeting the regulatory requirements of short food supply chains in 9 European countries based upon findings from the European H2020 3-year project "SMARTCHAIN". The assessments of the barriers that small food producers face in meeting different regulatory requirements are presented. Drawing on the results of 10 multi-actor workshops that involved 124 participants, the most problematic policy frameworks for short food supply chains and key obstacles in different regulatory requirements are summarized. This research shows that current EU and national regulation is an obstacle to the development of short food supply chains, meaning that additional efforts are needed to tailor the regulations to small food producers involved in short supply chains. Furthermore, it is necessary to consider the introduction of more effective support measures for short food supply chains.
Aubry C, Kebir L. Shortening food supply chains: A means for maintaining agriculture close to urban areas? The case of the French metropolitan area of Paris. Food Policy. 2013. p. 85–93.
2.
concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises C. 2003. p. 1422.
3.
Oj L 124. Official Journal of the European Union. 20AD.
4.
Commission Staff Working Document on various aspects of short food supply chains. 2013.
5.
Commission delegated regulation. Official Journal of the European Union. 2014. p. 1–17.
6.
Better HACCP implementation : overview report (tech. rep.). Luxembourg, Publications Office of the European Union. European Commission; 2015.
7.
EIP-AGRI Focus Group on Innovative Short Food Supply Chain Management: Final report (tech. rep. November). 2015.
8.
European Commission. Brussels. 2020.
9.
Parliament E. Short food supply chains and local food systems in the EU. Official Journal of the European Union. 2016.
10.
Short Food Supply Chains as drivers of sustainable development: Evidence Document (tech. rep. 2013.
11.
Giampietri E, Verneau F, Del Giudice T, Carfora V, Finco A. A Theory of Planned behaviour perspective for investigating the role of trust in consumer purchasing decision related to short food supply chains. Food Quality and Preference. 2018. p. 160–6.
12.
Hyland J, Crehan P, Colantuono F, Macken-Walsh Á. The Significance of Short Food Supply Chains: Trends and Bottlenecks from the SKIN Thematic Network. Studies in Agricul-tural Economics. 2019. p. 59–66.
13.
Jarzebowski S, Bourlakis M, Bezat-Jarzebowska A. Short Food Supply Chains (SFSC) as Local and Sustainable Systems. Sustainability. 2020. p. 4715.
14.
Jarzebowski S, Pietrzyck K. The common agricultural policy of the european union -the present and the future eu member states point of view. 2018. p. 196–208.
15.
Kneafsey M, Venn L, Schmutz U, Balázs B, Trenchard L, Eyden-Wood T, et al. European Commission Joint Research Centre. Publications Office of the European Union; 2013.
16.
Lawless J. The Complexity of Flexibility in EU Food Hygiene Regulation. European Food and Feed Law Review. 2012. p. 220–31.
17.
Pesic M. Opinions and data on short food supply chains related policy analysis in 9 EU countries generated in the H2020 SMARTCHAIN Project grant number. 2021. p. 773785.
18.
Peters R. European Network for Rural Development. 2012.
19.
Renting H, Marsden T, Banks J. Understanding alternative food networks: exploring the role of short food supply chains in rural development. Environment and Planning A. 2003. p. 393–411.
20.
Schebesta H, Candel J. Gamechanging potential of the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy. Nature Food. 2020. p. 586–8.
21.
Schebesta H, Verdonk T, Purnhagen K, Keirsbilck B. Unfair Trading Practices in the Food Supply Chain: Regulating Right? European Journal of Risk Regulation. 2018. p. 690–700.
22.
Todorovic V, Maslaric M, Bojic S, Jokic M, Mircetic D, Nikolicic S. Solutions for More Sustainable Distribution in the Short Food Supply Chains. Sustainability. 2018. p. 3481.
23.
Toler S, Briggeman B, Lusk J, Adams D. Short food supply chains for promoting local food on local markets. American Journal of Agricultural Economics. 2009. p. 1272–8.
24.
Vorst J. Effective food supply chains: generating, modelling and evaluating supply chain scenarios (Doctoral dissertation). 2000.
The statements, opinions and data contained in the journal are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publisher and the editor(s). We stay neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
