EU has created a new agency to deal with agriculture

The European Commission (EC) has established the European Board on Agriculture and Food (EBAF).

According to the EC, this recommendation was contained in the report of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of Agriculture.

The EBAF, chaired by Commissioner for Food and Agriculture Christof Hansen, aims to foster a new culture of dialogue, trust and multi-stakeholder participation between the food supply chain and civil society, as well as with the European Commission.

“Agriculture is at the center of our Europe’s future. Today we are continuing the energy of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture to build trust and bring people together. The European Agri-Food Council is designed to address the complexity of the agri-food value chain, supporting our farmers and contributing to a more resilient, competitive and sustainable agri-food system,” commented European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The body is expected to provide high-level advice to the EC on the follow-up to the report of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture and to contribute to the work on the vision for agriculture and food to be presented in the first 100 days of the mandate.

“Members will be encouraged to promote mutual understanding and exchange of experiences and to pay particular attention to the coherence and synergies of EU policies and their alignment with private sector initiatives,” the EC explained.

The Council is established for five years and usually meets two to six times a year. Commissioner Hansen can convene the group for additional meetings when urgent advice is needed.

The EC has begun accepting applications for the board of the council. It will consist of a maximum of 30 member organizations representing three categories of stakeholders: the farming community, other actors in the food supply chain and civil society, including areas such as environment and climate, animal welfare or consumer issues. The deadline for applications is January 8, 2025. The Commission will evaluate all applications and plans to finalize the board in early 2025.

Tags: EU, agricultural sector