The EU on 25 January launched a Strategic Dialogue on the Future of Agriculture, a new forum mandated to shape a shared vision for the future of the EU’s farming and food system.
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Why has the Commission launched a Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture?
The Strategic Dialogue on the Future of Agriculture in the EU – as announced by Commission President von der Leyen in her 2023 State of the Union Address, and formally launched on 25 January 2024 – brings together a diverse group of actors from Europe’s agri-food sector to find common solutions for the future of agriculture in Europe.
What is the goal of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture?
The Dialogue will contribute to developing a joint understanding of the future EU farming and food system among actors across the whole agri-food chain, including farmers, co-operatives, agri-business, and rural communities, as well as non-governmental organisations and civil society representatives, financial institutions and academia. A number of thematic meetings will be organised after the kick-off meeting these will take place in the first half of 2024.
The Strategic Dialogue will address challenges and opportunities, such as a fair standard of living for farmers and rural communities, supporting agriculture within the boundaries of our planet and its ecosystems, exploiting the huge opportunities offered by knowledge and technological innovation and promoting a thriving future for the EU’s food system in a competitive world.
By combining different perspectives, the dialogue aims to foster the creation of new solutions and to bring about a common vision by summer 2024.
Who will be the chair of the Strategic Dialogue?
The chair of the Dialogue will be Professor Peter Strohschneider.
Prof. Strohschneider has a deep, relevant experience, notably as chair of the Federal government of Germany’s “Commission for the Future of Agriculture” (Zukunftskommission Landwirtschaft, ZKL).
The ZKL was tasked with making a proposal for an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable agriculture and food system, and it delivered a Report titled “The Future of Agriculture: A common agenda” in June 2021.
How were the participating stakeholders selected?
The Dialogue will involve participants from EU-level associations and organisations, including umbrella organisations representing a number of European groups. As key actors on all different parts of the EU agri-food value chain, these actors hold a deep knowledge and experience.
An important condition for the Strategic Dialogue’s success is to have a core group that is balanced and representative, reflecting the richness and diversity of all relevant stakeholders. The selection covers all the different segments of the agri-food chain (including farmers, co-operatives, agri-business, and rural communities) as well as non-governmental organisations and civil society representatives, financial institutions and academia.
How will the co-legislators be involved?
The Council and the European Parliament will be closely involved and heard in the process. The Chair, Professor Strohschneider, will regularly inform and exchange views with both institutions on the Dialogue process. Moreover, all EU institutions may organise relevant events, whose messages will also be fed into the Dialogue’s discussions.
Will there be means for other non-invited stakeholders to still contribute to the debate?
Although the Dialogue will be as inclusive as possible, the number of representatives who will participate in the meetings is limited to allow focused and lively interaction. Stakeholders who are not directly represented will be invited to submit their views and input via a dedicated “have your say” portal. Additional ways of involving them will be explored.
Moreover, ad hoc debates on questions relevant to the Dialogue will be organised within the Commission’s Expert Groups.
When will the subsequent thematic sessions take place?
The schedule of further meetings of the Strategic Dialogue will be decided by the group and will be published in the weeks to come, after the kick-off meeting of 25 January.
What will be the output of the strategic dialogue, by when?
The chair and members of the dialogue will work on a common vision for the future, integrating various positions. They will report back to the President of the Commission by summer 2024. It will be for them to define the format of their conclusions.
Is the main objective of the dialogue to inform the future CAP?
The Strategic Dialogue aims to cover all policies around agriculture and food production to strengthen our understanding of current and expected challenges. The dialogue will be an opportunity to hear the perspectives, ambitions, concerns and solutions of farmers and other key stakeholders from across the agri-food chain. This will allow for a focused and targeted discussion to find a common ground for the future of the Union’s agri-food sector.
Keynote address by President von der Leyen
Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture: Home Page
Source: European Commission
