The Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) of the European Commission announced its decision on the composition of civil dialogue groups, dealing with matters relevant to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). EPHA was awarded membership in all advisory groups applied for, making it possible to voice its long-standing commitment to advancing a public health approach to European food production systems. Meetings will take place from September 2014.
The Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) of the European Commission has today finalised the review of the composition of civil dialogue groups dealing with matters relevant to the Common Agricultural Policy. An open call for applications launched on 1 April 2014 saw 103 organisations applying for membership in the Civil Dialogue Groups. 68 of the applications have been approved as eligible. It is believed that this new composition will strengthen the expertise, the diversity of voices and the balance of the different representatives in the groups and their ability to provide the Commission with valuable advice on the future development of the CAP and its management. It will improve the quality of the debate, with a wider participation of civil society on a variety of issues important to them, such as food quality and quantity, access, affordability and availability, nutrition, health outcomes and diet-related non-communicable disease, in particular overweight and obesity.
Civil dialogue groups provide an important forum for consultation, providing high-level input from a wide range of sources and stakeholders in the form of opinions, recommendations and reports, complementing other sources, consultations and the in-house expertise of the European Commission. Specifically, civil dialogue groups’ tasks are:
- to hold a regular dialogue on all matters relating to the Common Agricultural Policy, including rural development, and its implementation;
- to bring about an exchange of experience and good practice;
- to assist the Commission and advise on policy;
- to deliver an opinion on specific matters;
- to monitor policy developments.
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EPHA will be part of the following Civil Dialogue Groups:
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- animal products
- CAP
- horticulture, olives and spirits
- international aspects of agriculture
- quality and promotion
- wine
Meetings will take place from September 2014 and in a spirit of transparency the Commission will publish all relevant documents such as agendas, minutes, conclusions, partial conclusions or working documents on the activities carried out by the civil dialogue groups dealing with matters covered by the CAP here.
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Take a look at the Civil Dialogue Groups
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