For both the European Commission (EC) and for stakeholders as FACEnetwork, it is important to be in contact with each other. To facilitate this contact, the Directorate-General on Agriculture and Rural Development has set up the so called Civil Dialogue Groups (CDG). They aim to provide the commission with advice and expertise in relation to the preparation of legislative proposals, policy initiatives, delegated acts and the implementation of existing EU legislation, programs and policies.

Dialogue

There are 7 thematic groups that cover all the aspects of the Common Agricultural Policy. FACEnetwork is appointed as a member of 2 of them: ‘CDG Animal Production’ and ‘CDG Quality & Promotion’. For the CDG meetings we can designate one or more representatives depending on the topics on the agenda. Nowadays, most of the meetings are online. Participating in the CDG meetings allows for interesting and important exchanges of information with the European institutions, as well as with other stakeholders. Moreover it helps our work of lobbying.

Animal Production

The thematic scope of the CDG Animal Production is economic and policy developments in relation to animal products sectors such as beef and veal, milk and milk products, pig meat, sheep and goat meat, eggs, poultry meat, and apiculture products. This includes, among others, market situation and outlook, operation of market measures, relevant CAP instruments and other relevant EU policies.

Quality & Promotion

The thematic scope of the CDG Quality & Promotion is all matters related to geographical indications (GIs) for agricultural products, as well as traditional specialties guaranteed (TSGs) and optional quality terms (OQTs) for agricultural products. Furthermore, the promotion of EU agricultural products in the context of Regulation EU 1144/2014 and the definition of strategic priorities and implementation of EU promotion policy measures.

Point of view

FACEnetwork is the sole organisation at Union level that represents small enterprises active in the dairy sector and therefore brings a vision to the table that is not often so visible for policy makers but that plays a significant role in the agricultural landscape and in the day to day life of European citizens.

The cheese and dairy makers that we represent not only produce speciality products. They also build short supply chains and enhance agrobiodiversity.

As FACEnetwork’s members are both dairy producers and technologists/scientists, the combination of their expertise provides input based on real and diverse farm-based praxis rather than theoretical data or models. We consider this an important added value to the CDG.

More information on the CDG’s can be found on the dedicated page on our website