9 October 1995

Doc. 7414

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the role of farmers and professional agricultural organisations as partners of governments in developing and implementing policies

presented by Mr SZAKÁL, Hungary, EDG and others

      The Assembly,

1.       Considers that an organised dialogue between governments and representative socio-professional organisations strengthens democracy and is beneficial for policy design and policy implementation;

2.       Believes that successful agricultural and rural development are dependent on the involvement of the rural population and in particular farmers and their organisations;

3.       Notes that the recent Pan-European Seminar on Agricultural and Rural Development (Strasbourg, 13-14 September 1995)1 clearly showed that agricultural trade unions, chambers of agriculture, agricultural co-operatives and mutual credit and insurance societies are of the utmost importance for agricultural and rural development and that such structures need to be strengthened and/or (re)created in many countries of Central and Eastern Europe;

4.       The Assembly therefore calls on member governments and the European Union:

      i. to give more support to the (re)creation or strengthening of agricultural trade unions, chambers of agriculture, agricultural co-operatives and mutual credit and insurance societies in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe;

      ii. to fully involve Western European sister organisations in this work;

      iii. to facilitate and assist these organisations in implementing exchange schemes and relevant training programmes;

       iv. to develop close relations with these organisations for discussions of policy issues on the economic, ecological, social and cultural functions of rural areas;

      v. to encourage further European co-operation among these organisations and involve them in a dialogue with governments and parliamentarians on relevant issues concerning rural development.

signé:

Szakál, Hungary, EDG

Figel, Slovakia, EPP

Rott, Hungary, EPP

Alexander, United Kingdom, EDG

Szymański, Poland, SOC

Iwinski, Poland, SOC

Małachowski, Poland, SOC

Telgmaa, Estonia, EDG

Mackie of Benshie, United Kingdom, LDR

Poptodorova, Bulgaria, SOC

Fenner, United Kingdom, EDG

Scheer, Germany, SOC

*       SOC : Socialist Group

      EPP : Group of the European People's Party

      EDG : European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group

      UEL : Group of the Unified European Left

1 ¹ 1. Organised by the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development in co-operation with the European Confederation of Agriculture (CEA), the Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations of the European Union (COPA) and the General Committee of Agricultural Co-operation of the European Union (COGECA).