Europe’s Agri‐Food Businesses call for an EU policy shift towards innovation -

Sectors present policy recommendations to EU farm ministers to unlock the potential of Europe’s agricultural and food industries to master key challenges and opportunities

A broad coalition of groups representing Europe’s agricultural and food business interests is calling for better and smarter policy‐making that fosters innovation and creates jobs, ensuring that the EU agri‐food chain becomes more productive and resource‐efficient.

The group of 11 EU‐level associations presented their joint “Vision for unlocking the potential of agriculture and food industries in the EU” during the meeting of EU Ministers for Agriculture in Athens on 6 May. The coalition includes numerous agricultural input industries such as suppliers of machinery, seed, fertilisers, crop protection, animal health, feed and biotechnology‐based products, as well as the agricultural trade and of course EU farmers and the European food and drink sector. Together, these industries account for about 30 million jobs and 3.5% of the EU’ s gross value added¹.

In their ‘Joint Vision’, the signatories underline the importance of providing a se cure and safe supply of food not only for EU citizens but also beyond Europe’s borders, and to do s o in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. At the same time, the European Agri‐Food Chain points to the economic weight of the sectors involved and of their important relevance in a chieving overarching EU policy goals such as higher employment and economic growth. The group is united in its call for a more streamlined EU policy agenda that places the promotion of innovation at its very core in order to sustain a safe, high‐quality and affordable food production and consequent c hoice for consumers. Innovation in agri‐food has been too little encouraged and in some cases has be en actively hampered by European decision makers.

In view of the upcoming European Parliament elections at the end of May and the new European Commission to take office later this year, the agri‐food associations urge both institutions to jointly work for a strong stimulus to innovation in their sectors by better and science‐based policy making and by strengthening the innovative forces of the internal market.

The EU Agri‐Food Chain sees its joint vision as a first step in this direction and stands ready to work with EU decisio-makers of all institutions to achieve the common goal of a competitive and sustainable Europe that turns today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities ‐ by smarter regulations that support innovation all across the agri‐food chain.

Download press release as PDF 

View the vision paper

Pascale Rouhier, Secretary General, CELCAA
[email protected]
Tel: +32 2 537 37 11
Mobile: +32 488 36 83 47

Beatriz Arribas, Communications Officer, CEMA
beatriz.arribas@cema‐agri.org
Tel.: +32 2 706 81 73

Teresa Babuscio, Secretary General, COCERAL
[email protected]
Tel: +32 2 502 08 08

Amanda Cheesley, Press Officer, COPA‐COGECA
Amanda.Cheesley@copa‐cogeca.eu
Tel: +32 2 287 27 90
Mobile: + 32 474 84 08 36

Rosalind Travers, Communications Manager, EuropaBio
[email protected]
Tel: +32 2 739 11 73
Mobile: + 32 478 680301

Craig Winneker, Director of Communications, ECPA
[email protected]
Tel: +32 2 663 15 52
Mobile: +32 473 90 03 64

Ana Silva, Communications Manager, ESA
[email protected]
Tel: +32 471 66 50 27

Anton van den Brink, Communication Adviser, FEFAC
[email protected]
Tel: +32 2 285 00 50

Mark Cryans, Head of Communications, Fertilizers Europe
[email protected]
Tel: + 32 2 663 31 44
Mobile: + 32 474 88 58 86

Florence Ranson, Communications Director, FoodDrinkEurope
[email protected]
Tel : +32 2 514 11 11

Clare Carlisle, Public Relations Manager, IFAH‐Europe
[email protected]
Tel: +32 2 543 75 67