GFA Consulting has revealed details of the seventh International Conference for Producer Organisations (ICOP), which will take place at the Committee of the Regions in Brussels on 20 and 21 November.
The Austria-based consultancy has organised for the 2012 edition to be partnered by umbrella producer organisations (POs) including AMC Austria, BVEO, the Dutch Produce Association and VBT, as well as representative bodies Cogeca and AREFLH.
This year's event, which is expected to attract participants from across Europe, marks GFA's twentieth anniversary and features presentations by POs from across Europe, including the Finland, Poland, Portugal and the UK.
ICOP 2012 will see the first public presentation of the European Association of Producer Organisations (EAOP) initiative.
Alain Schlesser, who has led the formation of the EAOP, which includes 30 POs from seven EU member states, will give a talk and join in a subsequent panel discussion.
With talks imminent on the 2014-2020 funding period of the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy, there will also be a debate on the importance of a Common Market Organisation (CMO) that can represent the views of POs.
In another session German psychologist Jens Loenneker of Rheingold Salon will analyse the psychological impact on consumers of food crises and scandals.
Finally, the event will address the link between competition law and the CMO. Philippe Chauve, the European Commission's leader of DG Competition, will give a presentation, from which a panel discussion will follow.
