Cogeca AgriCooperatives in the European Union

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CogecaAgri-Cooperatives in the European Union

• Paulo GOUVEIA,
• Director, General Affairs. 28.10.2008

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Cogeca European agri-cooperatives

• Representing more than 40 000 agricultural
  cooperatives
• Representing 50 years of experience across 27
  Member States in 38 member organisations, in 6
  languages and a team of approximately 50 strong
• Tasks
• To represent, promote and defend the general
  interests of agricultural, agri-food, forestry
  and fisheries cooperatives
• To contribute to the development of cooperatives
  in general
• To maintain and develop relations with
  EU-institutions as well as with representatives
  organisations at EU level
• To look for solutions that are in the common
  interest of its members

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Cogeca European agri-cooperativesMain
Priorities

• A short overview of the
• Main trends in the cooperative Agricultural
  sector
• Challenges and opportunities

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Main trends in the cooperative Agricultural sector
European Co-operatives of the Meat sector
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Main trends in the cooperative Agricultural sector
European Input-Supply Cooperatives
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Main trends in the cooperative Agricultural sector
European Multi-purpose Cooperatives
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Main trends in the cooperative Agricultural sector
European Horticulture Cooperatives
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Main trends in the cooperative Agricultural sector
Example of scaling-up of fruit and vegetable
Producer Organizations in The Netherlands
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Main trends in the cooperative Agricultural sector
Mergers in the Horticultural sector
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Main trends in the cooperative Agricultural sector
Mergers in the Meat sector
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Main trends in the cooperative Agricultural sector
Mergers in the Dairy sector
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Challenges and opportunities (I)
Global Agri-food market developments

• Demand trends
• Increasing global population and consumer
  purchasing power
• Increasing global demand for food and changing
  consumption patterns (increasing demand for
  convenience, out of home consumption),
• Increasing demand for agricultural products for
  non-food uses (e.g. bio-fuels)

Source AGPB
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Challenges and opportunities (II)
Global Agri-food market developments

• Supply trends
• Intense price fluctuations have led to unstable
  markets,
• Speculative transactions caused uncertainty and
  volatility.
• Input prices (fuel, energy, transport,
  fertilisers) have doubled within the last three
  years,
• Increasing global competition and weak market
  power
• Long-term social trends such as urbanisation put
  a continuous pressure in farming,
• Extra requirements in the management of natural
  resources (air, water, soil), due to climate
  change pressures.
• Diseases management (prevention, and control
  spreading).

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Challenges and opportunities (III)
Global Agri-food market developments

• Operation of the Food chain
• Retail concentration and consolidation/ vertical
  Integration, leads to retail dominance in supply
  chains, exerting imbalanced market power to
  cooperatives.

Source AGPB
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Challenges and opportunities (IV)
Need for effective Policy

• COGECA supports European co-operatives to develop
  effective policy instruments which will ensure
• Adequate opportunities for European farmers and
  co-operatives to develop their market activities,
• A levelled playing field between co-operatives
  and other forms of enterprises,
• Effective support measures that allow farmers to
  receive a fair compensation for the public/
  non-marketable goods and services they provide to
  the European citizens and consumers, as guardians
  of the countryside.

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• Thank you for your attention
• Copa - Cogeca
• 61, rue de Trèves
• 1040 Bruxelles
• mail_at_copa-cogeca.eu
• www.copa-cogeca.eu