CUES at the WATSON Final Event: “Beating Fraud and Building Trust with Europe’s Food Detectives”

On November 2025, CUES participated in the WATSON project’s Final Event in Brussels, an inspiring gathering dedicated to strengthening trust and transparency within the European food system.

Our project partner Lotte Hallez from KU Leuven represented CUES during the panel discussion “How do we ensure high-quality food in Europe?”.

In her discussion, she focused on the consumer perspective. Drawing on research from the CUES project, she explained that meaningful improvements in food transparency and traceability must go hand in hand with solutions that remain accessible and affordable for all citizens. She also reflected on what needs to be considered when designing digital tools that support traceability, ensuring they provide value without adding financial or practical barriers.

The event brought together leading scientists, policymakers, and criminal investigation experts to explore how technological innovation and research can protect consumers and reinforce a trustworthy food chain.

Hosted by Euronews science correspondent Jeremy Wilks, the program took place in front of a live audience of more than a hundred people in Brussels and was live-streamed worldwide.

Missed the Event? You can still watch the full session online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJZjcQjnazc&t=13s. The panel discussion featuring CUES begins at 29:30.