Brussels, 06/05/2014 (Agence Europe) - In Athens on Tuesday 6 May, a broad coalition of associations representing the interests of agricultural and agri-food businesses within the EU recommended “better and smarter” policies to promote innovation and job creation, to ensure that the agri-food chain in the EU becomes more productive and efficient in terms of resources.
On the sidelines of the informal Agriculture Council of Athens, a group of 11 European associations presented a document laying out their vision on freeing up the potential of the agricultural and food industries in the European Union. These associations are: CELCAA (European Liaison Committee for the Agricultural and Agri-Food Trade), CEMA (European Agricultural Machinery), COCERAL (European Association of cereals, rice, feedstuffs, oilseeds, olive oil, oils and fats and agrosupply trade), Copa-Cogeca (European Farmers and Agri-Cooperatives), ECPA (European Crop Protection Association), ESA (European Seed Association), EuropaBio (European Associations for BioIndustries), FEFAC (European Feed Manufacturers Federation), Fertilisers Europe (European Fertilisers Association), FoodDrinkEurope (European Food and Drink Industry Association) and IFAH Europe (European Animal Health Industry). Together, these industries represent some 30 million jobs (13.4% of total employment) and 3.5% of gross EU added value.
In their document, the signatories stress the importance of ensuring secure food supply, not just for the citizens of the EU, but also beyond the borders of Europe, and of doing this sustainably and in an environmentally respectful way, a press release reads. At the same time, the associations reiterate the economic weight of the sectors concerned and their important role in achieving the fundamental political objectives of the EU: job creation and economic growth. The businesses concerned lay a great deal of emphasis on the importance of innovation for maintaining high-quality food production. Innovation in the agri-food sector has not been sufficiently encouraged and, in some cases, it has even been “hampered by the European decision-makers”, these associations maintain. (LC)