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
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.
The highest decision making body of COPA and COGECA respectively is called the Praesidium. Both of these are composed of the Presidents of each Member Organisation. They set out the general policy
priorities for the organisations. COPA and COGECA also hold regular joint Praesidium meetings together, referred to as the Praesidia meeting.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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