Agenda 

Agriculture constitutes an integral part of the European economy, affirmed the signatory states in the Declaration of Stresa in 1958. Yet fifty years later, the Common Agricultural Policy –the most integrated policy of the EU – does not clearly appear in the Union’s agenda to reach a sustainable growth from an environmental and social point of view.  

The absence of the CAP in the Commission’s communication on the Europe 2020 Strategy has reopened the debate about the general contribution of agriculture and rural areas to the objectives of the EU. The Spring European Council highlighted the importance of CAP's contribution to the new strategy, given the potential of growth and of jobs in rural areas. On the 1st of June 2010 in Merida, the Spanish presidency submitted to the Ministers of Agriculture, gathered in an informal meeting, a working paper explaining CAP's contribution to the aforementioned strategy.  

Sharing the objective of participating in the reflection on CAP's contribution to the Europe 2020 Strategy, Notre Europe and the Real Instituto Elcano jointly organise an experts seminar in Madrid on the 24th of June. The aim of this seminar is twofold: on the one hand, to analyse farming's contribution to the new EU priorities and challenges; on the other hand, to propose ideas to reform this so-called “old” European policy, in order to reinforce.

Program

Opening Speech by Mrs. Elena Espinosa Mangana, Ministra de Medio Ambiente y Medio Rural y Marino (ES) 

10.15am-11.45am Panel 1. Developing an economy based on knowledge and innovation: CAP’s contribution to a smart growth. 

Presidence by Andras Vertes, Head of economic research institute GKI (HUN)

• Prof. Raoul Bino, Managing Director of the Agrotechnology & Food Sciences Group of Wageningen UR (NL) 
• Pr. Elias Fereres, Instituto de Agricultura Sostenible (ES) 
• Antonio di Giulio,  Head of Unit, Food, Health and Well-Being, DG Research of the European Commission  

Floor discussion  

11.45am   Coffee break
 12.15am-1.45pm Panel 2. Promoting a more resource efficient, greener and more competitive economy: CAP’S contribution to a sustainable growth.  

Presidence by Notre Europe

• Tamsin Cooper, Joint Head of Agriculture and Rural Development Programme, Institute for European Environmental Policy (GB) 
• Gonzalo Fanjul Suárez, Senior Strategic Advisor at Intermón Oxfam (ES)  
• Jean-François Gleizes, President of Passion Céréales (FR) 

Floor discussion 

1.45pm Lunch Break

3.15pm-4.45pm Panel 3. Fostering a high-employment economy delivering social and territorial cohesion: CAP’s contribution to an inclusive growth. 

Presidence by Real Instituto Elcano

• Miguel Arias Cañete, Chairperson of the Spanish Parliament, Joint Committee for the European Union, Former Spanish Minister for Agriculture (2000-2004) and former member of the European Parliament (ES)
• Alexandre Gohin, Economist, INRA (FR)) 
• Jaime Lillo, Deputy Director General for Agro-food Policies, Rural Development and Water (ES)

Floor discussion  

4.45pm-5.00pm Conclusions: Emphasize CAP’s contribution to the EU 2020 Strategy 

Workshop Venue

Instituto de Crédito Oficial, Calle Los Madrazo nº 3, 28014 Madrid

Informations

The debates will be translated simultaneously into English, Spanish and French.  

Registration to attend the seminar: Please send your name, surname, function and institution to: inscription@notre-europe.eu