“A new CAP: Mountains of opportunities” is an information measure on the new Common Agricultural Policy for the period 2014-2020 addressed to mountain rural actors and co-funded by the Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission.
This initiative is coordinated by Euromontana, the European multisectoral association for co-operation and development of mountain territories, in collaboration with 6 of its members from Spain, Italy, Portugal, France, Romania and Slovenia.
The new Common Agricultural Policy introduces many important changes and novelties. The first step for mountain stakeholders to take full advantage of the new PAC is to be informed on the new range of available tools.
Some of the most interesting opportunities offered by the new CAP are the tools to develop mountain value chains around the new optional quality term « Mountain Product ». This quality term –a long–standing claim from Euromontana– gives the chance to identify and promote the unique added value of mountain food products. A range of Rural Development measures support initiatives such as cooperation between producers, innovation or pilot projects, which can make a decisive contribution to develop the added value obtained from the high–quality mountain products.
Objectives
Our main objectives are threefold: first, to disseminate information to raise awareness on the possibilities offered by the new CAP. Secondly, to explore how the new CAP can contribute to the structuring of supply chains and territories valorising specific territories and the mountain dimension. And finally to facilitate exchanges and debates aiming to elaborate concrete action plans around three axes:
- Enhancing networking and cooperation around mountain supply chains, with special focus on the development of the quality term “Mountain Product” and its added value.
- Developing better synergies between mountain value chains and tourism, taking advantage of the cross-fertilising effects of promotion of places and tourism to better market mountain products and attract more people to mountain territories. This is the case for example of oenotourism and gastronomy initiatives.
- Optimising the use of LEADER development strategies to promote mountain value chains. By sharing successful examples of how mountain products have been promoted in past Local development strategies, we will provide room for discussion on how to use the rural development and possibly the other European Structural and Investment funds in the framework of Community-led local development.
Reflections and exchanges will be structured around six main themes:
- Innovation
- Socio–economic impact
- Territorial approach
- Environmental & heritage
- Marketing approaches
- Tools for quality and traceability
Activities and materials
Information
In order to make information available to all mountain rural actors, we have produced some materials explaining the new CAP:
- Brochure “A new CAP– Mountains of Opportunities”. 12 pages presenting the features of the new Direct Payments, the new Common Market Organisation and the most interesting Rural Development measures. Also available in 8 EU languages: English, French, Spanish, Basque, Portuguese, Italian, Romanian and Slovenian.
- Presentation “A new CAP– Mountains of Opportunities” summarising the key points of the new CAP. Available in English, French, Spanish, Basque, Portuguese, Italian, Romanian and Slovenian.
- Presentations on national implementation of the CAP in France, Portugal, Italy, Romania and Slovenia.
- Updated news on the CAP on Facebook and a Twitter.
National seminars
Five national seminars will be held in France, in Italy, in Slovenia, in Romania and in Portugal during July 2014. These events will introduce the new CAP and the national implementation choices to mountain rural actors, and provide them with an opportunity to discuss how the CAP tools can support mountain initiatives.
The outcome of the seminars will contribute to the preparation the European Mountain Convention, to be held on 22-24 October 2014 in Bilbao (Spain).
European Conference
The European Mountain Convention will be the major event of the campaign “A new CAP – Mountains of Opportunities”. This event will be a unique opportunity to assemble mountain stakeholders from all over Europe to discuss how to optimise the use of CAP tools to foster mountain value chains.
The European Mountain Convention is a 3-day event combining field trips, plenary sessions, workshops and networking. The Convention will be held on 22-24 October 2014 in Bilbao (Spain).
Calendar
- 10 July 2014 Seminar in Clermont-Ferrand (France) organised by MACEO
- 10 July 2014 Seminar in Maribor (Slovenia) organised by the Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences (University of Maribor)
- 12 July 2014 Seminar in Brasov (Romania) organised by AGROM-RO
- 16 July 2014 Seminar in Milan (Italy) organised by ERSAF
- 18 July 2014 Seminar in Braganza (Portugal) organised by the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança
- 22–24 October 2014 European Mountain Convention organised by Euromontana and the Basque Government
