From 12 to 14 October, the ICOP, an international congress for producer organizations in the fruit and vegetable sector, takes place in Weiz, Styria. FreshPlaza is on site, reporting on the impressions of the opening day. The 2021 conference was held as an online event, but now the ICOP once again attracted a large number of visitors, who came from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Hungary, France, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark and Slovakia.
The speakers of the first day: Joao Dias (Portugal), Siegfried Lehner (Austria), Karine Oswald-Poulet, IDfel Val de Loire (France) and Kristine Bori from the European Commission.
The first day of the three-day event focused on the implementation of EU funding programs and legislation. Kristine Bori, member of the European Commission's Directorate General for Agriculture first gave insights into the situation surrounding the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The Commission has adopted new rules to simplify the implementation of policies and programs in fruit and vegetable production. This is intended to pave the way for the new CAP (from 2023), as member states can now adapt their national strategies to the new circumstances, to ensure a seamless transition into the new regime.
Representatives from Austria, France and Portugal provided insights into the current situation and the strategy on the ground. These presentations show that while member states are on the right track, there are still many challenges, implementing the legislation in everyday practice. Questions came from the audience in the closing discussion, including questions about the packaging strategy.
The 16th ICOP ends on Friday, Oct. 14. Over the course of the coming week, you will find a detailed photo report and follow-up coverage on FreshPlaza.de.