In preparation for further EU enlargement, Cogeca met in Slovenia today with representatives of cooperative organisations and the Ministries of Agriculture from the candidate countries to debate the implications of accession for the agricultural sector for these countries when they join the EU.

This workshop was organised with the support of DG Enlargement (TAIEX). The countries which are
preparing to join the EU include Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, F.Y.R.O.M., Kosovo and Albania. Participants exchanged views on various aspects of EU policies, notably the CAP and developments concerning the future of the CAP.

Special emphasis was put on the economic organisation of farmers, such as cooperatives, in order to strengthen their market positioning. In this respect, existing tools such as producer groups were analysed and discussed in detail.Speaking at the workshop, Pekka Pesonen, Copa-Cogeca Secretary-General said “Cogeca has a long tradition of being in the forefront of collaborating with farmer and
agri-cooperative organisations across Europe, and