About NAEU 2015
The North American European Union Agricultural Conference is an opportunity for COPA-COGECA along with its member farming & co-operative organisations to discuss trade policy within the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its future directions, to exchange experiences and sum up the benefits of a common trade policy, alongside other issues such as sustainability, collaboration and supply chain.
Conference Venue
Hilton Templepatrick Hotel & Country Club, County Antrim, Northern Ireland is located 8km from Belfast International Airport and 15km from Belfast City Centre and 175 km from Dublin International Airport.
Programme & Themes
Date:
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Wednesday 21st October – Industry/Tourist Excursions & Welcome Reception
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Thursday 22nd October – Congress Day 1 & Evening Gala Dinner
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Friday 23rd October – Congress Day 2 & Industry/Tourist Excursions
Theme:
“Making Agriculture a Success”
Location:
Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Venue:
Hilton Templepatrick Hotel, Antrim (Congress) & Titanic Belfast (Gala Dinner)
Nos:
250 – 300 international delegates
Sessions:
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Agricultural Policy Developments across EU, US, Canada & Mexico
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Towards the accomplishment of the DDA— WTO, AMA, NAMA, TRIPS
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Consumer attitudes to Agri-food chain and processes
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Agriculture & Energy – How Agriculture can benefit from this debate.
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Modern Agriculture and Technology – what is the value for farmers?
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Inputs – opportunities and new collaboration within the agricultural sector.
Who Attends the NAEU Congress?
Policy Makers at Ministerial /Government level, Farming Organisations/Unions and Co-operatives from across Europe, Canada, Mexico and the USA.
Organisations representing North America include: American Farm Bureau Federation; Canadian Federation of Agriculture; Consejo Nacional Agropecuerio (Mexique) and National Council of Farmers Cooperatives. Organisations representing Europe include: COPA & COGECA Member organisations across Europe including Chambers of Agriculture, Food & Agricultural Councils, Producer and Farmer Federations/ Associations.
The importance and impact of NAEU Congress for the European Agricultural Sector
The agricultural sector is becoming increasingly global with policy decisions in the main centres of global production impacting immediately and significantly on world markets. Long standing issues such as hunger and malnutrition have now been joined by issues around food security and concerns about the availability and effective utilisation of increasingly scarce resources.
Consumer attitudes are rapidly changing and the organisers of the Congress, in recognising the complexity and interconnectivity of all these issues, have always believed that by bringing policy makers, influencers and practitioners together, they will all better understand the driving forces and constraints which shape agricultural policy.
The Congress therefore seeks to deliver a focussed formal programme based around challenge and debate, combined with more informal opportunities to discuss and share experience and best practice across the various countries represented. Although Northern Ireland will be one of the smallest participating regions, the profile and exposure, which hosting this high profile Congress will bring to the region as a food producer and as a tourist destination, is immense.