Brussels, 04/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - On 1 April, the European Commission opened a call for applications for groups wanting to participate in the new Civil Dialogue Groups for agriculture, to replace the system of CAP advisory groups to the services of the Commission from July 2014. As well as involving the sector itself, they will also be more open to non-economic NGOs (such as environmental NGOs).
EU-wide non-government organisations (representative associations, socio-economic interest groups, civil society organisations and trade unions registered in the joint European Transparency Register) have until 30 April to respond to the call for applications launched by DG Agriculture of the Commission. Organisations are eligible to apply if they are not already represented by a high-level umbrella organisation, have “sufficient capacity” to coordinate activities with the Commission and all their members, are “well-established and stable” and are active and have “sufficient expertise” in the relevant field.
Fourteen Civil Dialogue Groups are to be set in place: animal products, arable crops, common agriculture policy, direct payments and greening, environment and climate change, forestry and cork, horticulture, spirits, olives and flowers, international aspects of agriculture, milk, organic farming, quality and promotion, rural development, wine, and women in rural areas.
A rebalance in favour of non-economic interests
In response to concern expressed by the agricultural organisations and cooperatives of the EU (COPA-COGECA), the cabinet of European Commissioner Dacian Ciolos stresses that the new system of Civil Dialogue Groups aims to “reflect the CAP reform” and ensure “a balance between economic and non-economic interests”. He also emphasises the “need to rebalance the distribution of seats in favour of non-economic interests” and that the “budgetary situation” must be taken into account in the functioning and size of the groups. (LC)