The European Commission has officially set up the European Board on Agriculture and Food (EBAF).This move was one of the recommendations of the strategic dialogue on the future of agriculture that aims to enhance dialogue, trust and multi-stakeholder participation among the actors of the food supply chain and civil society, as well as with the Commission
The European Commission has officially set up the European Board on Agriculture and Food (EBAF).
This move was one of the recommendations of the strategic dialogue on the future of agriculture that aims to enhance dialogue, trust and multi-stakeholder participation among the actors of the food supply chain and civil society, as well as with the Commission
The board will be chaired by European Commissioner for Food and Agriculture Christophe Hansen and a call for applications was announced on Thursday 5 December to form the membership.
It will be composed of a maximum of 30 member organisations representing three categories of stakeholders: the farming community, other actors of the food supply chain and civil society including in areas such as environment and climate, animal welfare or consumer issues.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said agriculture is at the heart of Europe's future.
“Today, we carry forward the energy of the strategic dialogue on the future of EU agriculture to build trust and bring people together.
“The European board on agri food is to tackle the full complexity of the agri-food value chain, supporting our farmers and driving a more resilient, competitive and sustainable agri-food system.”
Representation
The deadline for submitting applications to the EBAF will be on 8 January 2025.
The Commission will evaluate all applications and aims to finalise the board's membership at the beginning of 2025 and the first meeting will be convened immediately after.
The Commission has said that organisations that wish to apply for membership should demonstrate “the broadest relevant competence and expertise in areas relevant to agriculture and food at union level and display the widest geographical representative-ness across member states”. They must also be in the transparency register.
Christophe Hansen said that the strategic dialogue demonstrated that representatives with apparently diverging interests could find common ground.
“There are more bridges that unite us than walls that separate us,” he added.
“I want the European Board on Agriculture and Food to embody this new culture of cooperation and dialogue, not only between stakeholders, but also towards and with the European Commission.”
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