VeriFish CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) on Seafood Communication 24 June

VeriFish, DG Byen, Copenhagen. 24 June, 2025

 

VeriFish, a project funded under Horizon Europe provides a framework of verifiable sustainability indicators based on existing EU and global databases. VeriFish is working on the prototype of the web application, a series of media products and recommendations for communicating sustainability indicators to various stakeholders including guidelines for retail and the hospitality sectors.

The VeriFish project addresses a critical challenge in the seafood sector: the limited availability and accessibility of clear, reliable information for consumers. While the sustainability of our oceans depends on informed choices, many consumers still lack the necessary insight to make environmentally responsible decisions.

To respond to this need, VeriFish launched the CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) aimed at developing a set of Good Practice recommendations on how to communicate the positive approaches of the companies and how to stress the positive impacts.

Under the lead of Nofima – the Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research – the event brought together European stakeholders from fisheries, aquaculture, retail, consumer groups, policymakers, and research institutions to shape the future of seafood sustainability communication.

Trust-IT Services, as coordinator of the VeriFish project, helped coordinate the event and manage on-site and online logistics. Sara Pittonet Gaiarin, presented the VeriFish initiative to the stakeholders addressing its objectives, products and outputs, but also challenges and opportunities in how we communicate about food sustainability. COMMpla, Trust-IT affiliated entity, plays a key role in prototyping the VeriFish web app. This app is designed to simplify the dissemination of important information about seafood and aquaculture consumption choices by presenting the VeriFish Indicator Framework in a user-friendly format.

 

What is the CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) and Why Make It?

A CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) is a document produced within the framework of a CEN/CENELEC Workshop, which serves as an open and flexible environment where stakeholders may collaborate on the development of technical specifications, guidelines, or recommended practices in response to emerging needs.

Petter Olsen (NOFIMA) presenting at VeriFish CWA Launch - Why make a CWA?

 

Although CWAs do not carry legal enforceability, they are recognised as useful instruments for supporting voluntary convergence among industry actors, research initiatives, and public institutions. In particular, they may contribute to improve alignment, promote interoperability, and support the wider uptake of new methodologies or technologies across different domains.

 

Addressing Communication Gaps in the Seafood Sector: VeriFish Recommendations

The deliverable D4.1 – Initial recommendation for how to efficiently communicate to consumers about seafood serves as the starting point of this initiative. It outlines early guidance on effective consumer communication targeting any stakeholder  that needs to organise marketing campaigns that promote sustainable seafood consumption. The document presents relevant strategies adapted to consumer types, geographical contexts, seafood categories, and media formats. It also highlights which product characteristics to emphasise in different scenarios, and how best to present them.

Silje Steinsbø (NOFIMA), presenting the “Starting point CWA” at the VeriFish CWA Launch

 

The objective is to support both public and private stakeholders in creating more coherent and effective messaging strategies, thereby encouraging the consumption of local, nutritious, and sustainable seafood. 

Through this CWA, the project seeks to establish a harmonised communication framework that can be adopted across Europe. It aims to enhance the efficiency of marketing campaigns, influence purchasing behaviour towards more responsible choices, assist producers and retailers in promoting sustainable products, and facilitate consistent communication around sustainability, nutrition, provenance in the seafood sector.

Stakeholders participants at the VeriFish CWA

 

The set up of this CEN Workshop Agreement started from the emergence from an industry-driven need, and developed through a collaborative, evidence-based process. As a recognised document under the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN), the agreement carries meaningful influence in shaping future European practices. 

Although initially developed to enhance the clarity and effectiveness of sustainability messaging in seafood marketing, the implications extend far beyond communication strategy. By establishing a common language around sustainability indicators, the agreement lays the groundwork for deeper behavioural change and more transparent market conditions. It supports a shared ambition: to make sustainable seafood not the alternative, but the norm – preferred by consumers, endorsed by producers, and integrated into the broader food system.

 

Looking Ahead

The launch event in Copenhagen marked a starting point, as the CWA moves into its implementation phase. Organisations across Europe have the chance to engage, adopt, and refine its use. In doing so, they participate in a larger shift toward coherent, honest, and impactful sustainability communication – one that reflects both the urgency of environmental pressures and the potential of coordinated action. For stakeholders interested in contributing to the CWA process or implementing its recommendations, the VeriFish Consortium continues to welcome engagement from organisations committed to improving seafood sustainability communication across Europe.

 

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Sabrina Duri
Authored by
Sabrina Duri
Communication, Dissemination & Outreach Specialist, Trust-IT Services