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Copa (the Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations) represents over 22 million European farmers and their family members in a combined effort with its members to promote the best interests of the agricultural sector among the EU institutions and
other relevant stakeholders.

Our objectives

  • 1 Represent European farmers in a combined effort with its members in order to promote the best interests of the sector among EU institutions and other relevant stakeholders;
  • 2 Develop effective strategic policies and initiatives to raise awareness for the multifunctional role of farms and promote a decent income for farmers;
  • 3 Act as the central network for farming issues for its members and provides a platform for exchanges to develop solutions to any technical or trade barriers within the EU and beyond;
  • 4 Communicate with a view to maintaining a strong presence within the EU public discourse by explaining our positions and showcasing our efforts towards the development of an agricultural and forestry sector that benefits everyone;
  • 5 Participate in every relevant international platform in order to promote and disseminate the positions of European farmers.

Presidency

PRESIDENT

Christiane Lambert

France

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1st Vice President

Massimiliano Giansanti

Italy

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2nd Vice President

Pedro
Barato Triguero

Spain

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3rd Vice President

Mladen Jakopovic

Croatia

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4th Vice President

Tim
Cullinan

Ireland

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5th Vice President

Marius
Micu

Romania

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6th Vice President

Palle
Borgström

Sweden

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Organisation structure

Copa & Cogeca operate on the basis of profoundly democratic principles. All of our office holders are elected by Copa or Cogeca bodies respectively and in turn by the members of their organisations.

Praesidium   
Presidency   
The Praesidium elects a President and 6 vice Presidents among the members, for COPA and for COGECA respectively. The Presidents and their vice Presidents divide up their work on the basis of political dossiers and serve COPA and COGECA as highest-level representatives.
Policy Coordination Committees (POCC)   
The POCC and CCC consist of all of the Member Organisations represented. They discuss proposals from the Working Parties, prepare Praesidium meetings and coordinate all COPA and COGECA policies.
Working Parties   
COPA and COGECA have 52 Working Parties. They consist of representatives and experts from Member Organisations and discuss a wide range of market, policy and scientific developments in various agricultural and food sectors and prepare joint COPA and COGECA positions.
Copa Working Parties and Task Forces   
Joint Copa & Cogeca Working Parties 



1957

The Treaty of Rome establishing the European Economic Community signed on 25th March 1957 already contained the most important framework provisions of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).The relationship between the Community authorities and the representatives of the agricultural sector was left open by the Treaty, but the Commission expressed its desire for close cooperation at an early stage and invited representatives of agricultural organisations to attend the 1958 Stresa Conference as observers.



1958

Farmers themselves were convinced of the importance of the Community for their sector, and on 6th September 1958, the first European representative organisation, Copa, was created.



1959

One year later, on 24th September 1959, the agricultural cooperatives of the European Community created their European umbrella organisation, Cogeca (General Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives). Copa’s Secretariat was established in Brussels on 1st April 1959, merging with that of Cogeca on 1st December 1962.



1962

Merging of Copa and Cogeca secretariats.
Formal launch of the Common Agricultural Policy.



1993

Geopa-Copa, the Employers’ Group of Professional Agricultural Organisations in the European Union, was created in 1993. Geopa-Copa’s members are the national agricultural organisations that are members of Copa or authorised by Copa to become members of Geopa-Copa.



2018

In 2018, Copa celebrated 60 years of successfully representing European farmers before the EU institutions and on the global stage.



2020

Copa and Cogeca welcome representatives of Romanian agriculture into their organisations.

Unity is strength

When Copa (the Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations) first started out, it had 13 member organisations from the then six Member States. Today, Copa is made up of 60 organisations from countries within the European Union and 36 partner organisations from other European countries, including Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey as well.

This broad membership allows Copa to represent both the general and specific interests of farmers in the European Union. Since its inception, Copa has been recognised by the European institutions as the organisation that speaks on behalf of the European agricultural sector.

VIEW MEMBER LIST