On Monday, 22 July 2013, at 9 a.m. the Plenary Chamber of the Seimas will host the parliamentary dimension event of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union – the Meeting of the Chairpersons of the Committees on Rural Affairs of Parliaments of the EU Member States on the Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. The meeting will be attended by Chairpersons of the Committees on Rural Affairs and other members of parliaments of the EU Member States, representatives of the European Parliament, European Commission, Nordic Council, and parliamentarians from candidate countries (Turkey). The meeting will be observed by former chairs of the Committee on Rural Affairs of the Seimas, representatives of the Chamber of Agriculture and agricultural associations, and Lithuanian farmers.

One of the most important items for discussion is the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union. After almost two years of negotiations, a political agreement on the matter has been reached. Therefore, now it is expected to discuss the outcome of the negotiations and recent developments in the implementation of the reform. “For as many as 50 years the agricultural policy has been developed and reformed to meet the public needs,” says Saulius Bucevičius, Chair of the Seimas Committee of Rural Affairs.

The meeting participants will be welcomed by Vydas Gedvilas, Speaker of the Seimas. The reports on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy will be delivered by Vigilijus Jukna, Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania; Czesław Adam Siekierski, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Parliament; and Tassos Haniotis, Director of the Economic Analysis, Perspectives and Evaluations Directorate, DG for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission.

The meeting will also discuss the current situation of and future prospects for small farming. The reports on this topic will be presented by Rasa Melnikienė, Director of the Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics; farmer Valdas Kavaliauskas; and Hanny van Geel, Member of the Coordination Committee of the European Coordination Via Campesina.

On 22 July 2013, at 7.10 a.m. Saulius Bucevičius, Chair of the Committee on Rural Affairs of the Seimas, will introduce the event at the TV programme Labas rytas, Lietuva (en. Good Morning, Lithuania) on the Lithuanian National Television LRT.

The meeting will be broadcast live on: the website of the Seimas, the website of the parliamentary dimension of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU, and the television channels titled Seimas – tiesiogiai and LRT KULTŪRA.

               

PROGRAMME OF THE MEETING

 

9.00               Introductory remarks by Mr Saulius BUCEVIČIUS, Chair of the Committee on Rural Affairs of the Seimas

                      Welcome address by Dr Vydas GEDVILAS, Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania

                      Adoption of the agenda

Session I. Common Agricultural Policy after 2013

9.10               Common Agricultural Policy after 2013

Prof. Vigilijus JUKNA, Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania

9.25               Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy: input of the European Parliament

Dr Czesław Adam SIEKIERSKI, Vice-Chair, Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, European Parliament

9.40               Debate

11.00             Coffee break

11.30            Challenges to implementation of the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy

Dr Tassos HANIOTIS, Director, Economic Analysis, Perspectives and Evaluations Directorate, DG for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission

11.45             Debate

13.30             Lunch

Session II. Small Farming: Current Situation and Future Prospects

15.00            Contribution of small farmers to sustainable rural development in the EU

Dr Rasa MELNIKIENĖ, Director, Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics

15.15             What could small farmers expect from the reformed Common Agricultural Policy?

Ms Hanny van GEEL, Member of the Coordination Committee, European Coordination Via Campesina

15.30             Development challenges for small farms from a farmer’s point of view

                      Mr Valdas KAVALIAUSKAS, farmer, Chairman of the Board, Association VivaSol

15.45             Debate

17.00             Concluding remarks

                      Mr Saulius BUCEVIČIUS, Chair of the Committee on Rural Affairs of the Seimas

 

 

For more information, please contact:

Gabija Jurgelytė, Adviser to the Office of the Committee on Rural Affairs, tel. +370 5 2396951, e-mail: [email protected]

 

Asta Markevičienė, Public Relations Unit, tel. +370 5 239 6202, e-mail: [email protected]