At this Café Crossfire evening debate organised on 14 April by Friends of Europe in collaboration with the Rainforest Alliance, Jonathan Horrell, Manager for Corporate and Governmental Affairs at Kraft Foods UK and Ireland, Gyula Hegyi, Member of the European Parliament, Michael Scannell, Head of Unit at the European Commission Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection, and Tensie Whelan, President of the Rainforest Alliance, discussed the importance of partnerships between public, private and civil society sector players in tackling major problems such as food security, climate change and poor labour conditions.Europe is a “trendsetter” and a “huge driver of global demand for sustainable products”, said Whelan, commenting on the crucial role the EU plays in supporting these new types of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). But participants remained divided on whether EU benchmarks and regulations are needed to ensure that the partnerships deliver effective solutions to the challenges of sustainable development.
Featuring:
- Tensie Whelan, President, Rainforest Alliance
- Gyula Hegyi MEP, Member of the European Parliament Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
- Jonathan Horrell, Manager for Corporate and Governmental Affairs, Kraft Foods UK and Ireland
- Michael Scannell, Head of Unit, European Commission Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection
Moderated by Giles Merritt, Secretary General of Friends of Europe

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