Publications - European Commission New Vision on European Food and Agricultural Research

Contacts
Website: ec.europa.eu/research/agriculture/library_en.htm




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Publications : Agriculture



This 36 page full colour brochure (isbn 92-894-6260-4) is a summary of the EURAGRI conference held in Atrhens in May 2003. It can be viewed on the internet at the indicated website address.

It was one of a series of conferences adressing the changing paradigms of agricultural research in Europe. It mainly covers EU enlargement, negotiations within the World Trade Organisation and the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, following on from previous discussions covering food quality and safety, animal welfare, rural development and environmental protection.

The objective was to identify research needs in the light of the following challenges to the EU:

• Enlargement - the addition of 10 new Member States and their impact on European Agriculture
• Negotiations with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) - that aim to establish a fair market orientated trading system for agricultural products. For the EU this means facilitating access to its markets and reducing 'trade-distorting' measures.
• Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) The EU has to adapt the CAP to the realities of enlargement, the aims of WTO and the principles of sustainable agriculture, while remaining competitive in the context of consumer demands.
• Planning for FP7 - Using the discussions to identify areas where further research is needed.

It is suggested that agricultural research in the European Research Area (ERA) should

• Increase the multifuntionality of agriculture (ie its role in activities such as tourism, landscape management, cultural heritage and the preservation of biodiversity).
• Emphasise rural development
• Foster innovation for the sustainable use of natural resources
• Harness the potential of genomics and post-genomics

The conclusions covered the following

• GMOs and food quality and safety
• Organic farming and food safety
• New processing technologies
• Standards for food quality and safety
• Food and agriculture; its future governance in the ERA
• Funding
• Rural life aspects
• Environmental aspects
• Local production
• Global aspects of food markets
• Europeran aspects on food markets
• Mediterranean aspects on food markets

Contacts

Contact

• Prof. Dr. Fons Werrij. / Euragri NETHERLANDS