Mission: To support Member Associations in developing the role that dietitians have in reducing inequalities & improving nutritional health in Europe.
Vision: EFAD, national dietetic associations (NDAs) and dietitians are recognised leaders in the field of dietetics and nutrition. We will continue to pro-actively initiate & grow partnerships in order to improve nutritional health, reduce socioeconomic health inequalities & contribute to economic prosperity. To achieve our vision, EFAD supports the highest quality of dietetic education, professional practice, research activity & partnership.
Values: EFAD is a not-for-profit body pursuing no political or religious ends. Our values of fair, open, non-discriminatory, supportive & ethical behaviour guide our decisions, approach to partnership, communication & collaboration with our stakeholders.
Strategic Aims: EFAD supports its members to:

� develop dietetics on a scientific & professional level in the common interest of members
� facilitate communication between NDAs & other organisations: professional, educational & governmental
� encourage better nutrition for the population of Europe
� promote the development of the dietetic profession

By embedding dietetic education, professional practice and research activity in dietetics, we enable high quality engagement at all levels, thus addressing health determinants and creating supportive environments for healthy lifestyles & prevention of disease through nutrition.
Communication of our aims and objectives is achieved by fostering exchange of knowledge, best practice promotion and action with and between our stakeholders. EFAD is a member of key NGOs (eg EPHA, ENHA, EFPC) and the EU Platform (Diet, Physical Activity and Health). We gather/disseminate information through NDAs, newsletters (EU Thematic Network DIETS), papers, reports, conferences and the website. Our stakeholders include dietetic associations, dietitians, citizens, key national ministries, higher education institutions, food industry, policy-makers and other health professionals. Our engagement wi

EFAD is a Federation of National Dietetic Associations (NDAs). Dietitians are educated to provide expert nutritional care, credible nutrition advice for policy development & food service in many environments. Over 33 years, NDAs working together (and now representing 30,000 dietitians) have:

OBJ 1 Facilitated communication between NDAs and other organisations: professional, educational, and governmental, to enhance understanding of strategies to improve nutritional health
A primary objective is to inform health policy development through engagement. We use nutrition and health data from NDAs to contribute to NGOs (eg European Public Health Alliance, European Nutrition Health Alliance and others) so that reliable nutrition planning can be embedded in all policies. Cascading information about health-promoting initiatives and best practice through NDAs to dietitians or national governments (especially affiliates in Eastern Europe) has been a priority. EFAD commitments to the EU Platform on diet, physical activity and health resulted in:
a) analytical reports of member activities, eg promoting nutrition in the workplace
b) the provision of tools for the public to learn more about health (in partnership with the European Food Information Council). NDAs translated and promoted the tools into 4 languages

OBJ 2 Developed dietetics on a scientific and professional level leading to reliable, valid and achievable promotion of nutritional health by dietitians
This objective is to reduce the differences in European dietetic education (especially in new member states) in achieving fitness-for-purpose for all dietitians, thus reducing inequality of care, which contributes to poor nutritional care and inequalities. EFAD introduced an academic & practice benchmark for European dietetic education (Roskilde Declaration, 2003) and a threshold competence for practice (Taormina Resolution, 2007). Networking NDAs and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) has improved education and training through the Education and Lifelong Learning Committee and supported by the EU Thematic Network DIETS (www.thematicnetworkdietetics.eu). Reports and standards of practice, disseminated to Ministries, resulted in 5 countries in Europe changing their dietetic education.

OBJ 3 Increased transparency, governance and financial security
A business objective is to increase membership of EFAD to include DAs (affiliate members) from accession countries. EFAD income is limiting to do the work required and a key object is to secure additional resources, maintain our independent status and support all dietitians in Europe.

EFAD future objectives will meet European challenges, reduce health inequalities, promote best health for ageing populations, prepare dietitians to deliver the new Health Strategy 2020 and secure an evidence base to improve nutritional health. Our Strategic Plan business objectives for 2012 have been set as:

a) Monitor, identify, report and take action on differentials in nutrition/dietetic care in member states and through plans to reduce inequalities in nutrition health, foster cross-border care, patient and health professional mobility

b) Advocate policies at a European level to address nutritional health determinants of populations nationally and locally and improve the effectiveness of dietetic services in creating supportive environments and reducing nutritional health inequalities.

c) Improve the educational quality of dietetic practitioners, provide lifelong learning and embed research led practice, enhancing application of best practice for a safe and competent dietetic workforce.

d) Develop networking, information provision and use of appropriate media to support dietitians in their communication, valorisation capabilities at European and international level, confirming dietitians as advocates for nutritional health.

e) Develop the business capabilities of EFAD, its effectiveness, transparency, cost benefit and impact.

EFAD has re-structured itself to undertake a more systematic approach to its core business of promoting high quality engagement of dietitians who can effectively address health determinants thereby creating supportive environments for healthy lifestyles and prevention of disease through nutrition. Key processes to ensure this is achieved are through dietitians working strategically and facilitating broad stakeholder engagement, informed and informing professional practice, embedding the highest quality dietetic education and research activity in European dietetics. Dietitians work in all countries of Europe across many sectors with people of all ages, lifestyles and environments. They are in a unique position to collect data on inequalities and health determinants from a nutrition perspective.
However to impact on reducing health inequalities EFAD and national dietetic associations (NDAs) will need to identify more clearly those areas where action is required and monitor/report effective interventions. Further impact and change can only come about if dietitians produce stronger evidence and employ their advocacy skills enabling dietitians to take action on those health determinants which affect health inequalities. EFAD has therefore set objectives for 2012 which begin this process.
1. To establish baseline data on differentials in nutrition and dietetic provision/care in member states and therefore identify risk. Also to report on effective strategies/actions which can/may reduce inequitable provision of food and nutrition especially in public health and food service. However dietitians will also need to evaluate robust baseline indicators for their consumers and a 2012 objective is to investigate the use of the Nutritional Care Process (NCP) and a standardised nutrition terminology.
2. Dietetic knowledge and expertise can only be used effectively if the profession engages more fully in advocacy and policy development. Response or initiation of policies that can positively affect nutritional health requires dietitians at European, national and local level to engage strategically with key stakeholders and increase their visibility at EU and MS level. To realise the potential of dietitians to effect change EFAD will undertake three actions:
a) deepen and encourage advocacy skills through workshops and discussions
b) evaluate & monitor EU initiatives as they affect nutritional health (for example in ageing, development of Non-communicable disease (NCD)) and through reports and position papers disseminate and inform stakeholders, NDAs and dietitians.
c) engage with key stakeholders through two workshops and through EFAD`s contribution to the EU Platform (DG SANCO), School Fruit Scheme (DG AGRI) and NGOs (when advising and supporting their campaigns affecting nutritional health). Dietitians will pro-actively contribute to development of policy which will impact on nutritional health, for example with stakeholders identify the role of the dietitian in safe food service (catering for consumers) and public health; through the development of position papers & briefing papers; engagement with MEPs and other influential people at European and national level, especially in new MS where dietetics is underdeveloped, will be emphasised and monitored at EU level by a newly constituted EFAD Scientific Reference & Advisory and Group.
3. Education and research expertise are essential to maintain a competent workforce of dietitians. The Thematic Network DIETS2 and EFAD committees will support a fit-for-future-purpose and evidence-based dietetic workforce with NDAs and HEIs. But for continued competence dietitians will need to engage in Lifelong Learning. EFAD proposes to map the embedding of EFAD European Dietetic Competences (EFAD, 2009) as part of its plan for 2012. When this has been done EFAD will be in a leadership position to support dietitians to retain or develop their competence; for example to ensure that competence to recognise and the ability to take action to reduce health inequalities is present. The website will continue to have searchable databases, e-courses and an e-journal. Particular support will be given to new members, where dietetics often requires more coherent development.
4. Effective impact, communication and dissemination are realised in the 2012 plan through development of a coherent and informed communication strategy, including revisions to the website and more informed and targeted publicity materials.
5. Governance and financial stability through its newly constituted business planning agenda will support EFAD to develop models to increase resources for public benefit and action plans for implementation to enable it to build a sustainable programme supporting dietetic contribution to European health. The use of advisory services and external evaluators strengthens the resolve of EFAD to achieve its mission and vision.