Subscribe here: [ Ссылка ] The dialogue on the future of agriculture in Europe was launched on Thursday amid farmer protests in several EU member states and uncertainty about the agenda of the dialogue.
The first meeting in plenary format was opened by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen who had announced the strategic dialogue in her 2023 state of union speech last September. The aim of this new forum is to shape a shared vision for the future of the EU's farming and food system. The ideas are expected to influence future legislative proposals.
“The time is ripe to forge a new consensus on food and farming among farmers, rural communities and all other actors on the EU agri-food chain,” von der Leyen said at her key note speech at the launch of the dialogue. “EU farmers and food industry provide our citizens with healthy and high-quality food, and make a central contribution to our economy, particularly in rural areas.”
“They are also making a tremendous effort to contribute to our collective green and digital transitions. But at the same time, they are confronted with a wide range of challenges, ranging from climate change, to inflation, to volatile market impacts. With this Strategic Dialogue, we are creating a forum to deliver a clear vision for the future, to the benefit of all.”
In the months leading up to the launch there was some uncertainty about how the participants in the dialogue would be selected and what topics they would discuss. At the end, 27 participants received a personal invitation letter from the Commission president. The choice was political and reflects the diversity of stakeholders.
The number was limited to allow focused and lively interaction, the Commission explained in a Q&A on the strategic dialogue. The list of participants has not been published. The forum may also consult other groups that were not invited.
It brings together key stakeholders from across the whole agri-food chain, including farmers, co-operatives, agri-food businesses, rural communities, NGOs, civil society representatives, financial institutions and academia. Stakeholders who are not directly represented will be invited to submit their views and input via a dedicated “have your say” portal.
The chair of the dialogue will play a crucial role. Professor Peter Strohschneider, a German linguist and historian, was appointed to chair the dialogue because of his experience in managing challenging processes involving stakeholders with different interests. He was chair of a similar strategic dialogue in Germany, the “Commission for the Future of Agriculture” (ZKL), which published its report in 2021.
The ZKL was tasked with making a proposal for an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable agriculture and food system. The recommendations in the report have apparently not been implemented yet but have been brought to the fore again in Germany because of the recent protests by farmers.
The EU strategic dialogue aims to cover all policies around agriculture and food production, strengthen the understanding of current and expected challenges, and find common ground, the Commission says.
Agri-food actors have been summoned to Brussels by the European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen to help forge a new long-term vision for agriculture amid mounting protests from farmers across the continent.
The strategic dialogue for the future of agriculture was announced in von der Leyen’s annual State of the Union address to cope with increasing polarisation in the agriculture and food policy debate.
The initiative comes at a moment of stalemate in the implementation of the EU’s flagship food policy Farm to Fork and while struggling farmers are taking to the streets throughout Europe claiming to be neglected by policymakers.
“I think we all sense that there is an increasing division and polarisation when it comes to topics related to agriculture,” von der Leyen said at the kick-off meeting of the dialogue in Brussels on Thursday (25 January).
The main goal, according to the commission president, is to collect thoughts, ideas, and proposals to develop scenarios for the future of agriculture that will feed into the work of the current and potentially the forthcoming EU executive.
Topics of discussion will range from elevating the standard of living for farmers and boosting the attractiveness of rural communities to making agriculture more sustainable and exploiting opportunities offered by technical innovations.
Stay connected with us!
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
#eudebates the unique initiative aiming to promote debate, dialogue, knowledge, participation and communication among citizens. #Ukraine #Bulgaria #Romania #EU #Poland #Hungary #Slovakia #agriculture #farmers #climatechange #climate #climateaction #climatecrisis
