Friends of the Earth Europe, Arc2020, Birdlife Europe, Eeb, Ifoam Eu Group, Pesticide Action
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FRIENDS OF THE EARTH EUROPE, ARC2020, BIRDLIFE EUROPE, EEB, IFOAM EU GROUP, PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK EUROPE, SLOW FOOD, WWF Media advisory For immediate release: Thursday July 12, 2012
*** PHOTO/TV/MEDIA OPPORTUNITY: Friday July 13, 08.30-09.00, outside the Charlemagne building, av. 170 Rue de la Loi, Brussels. Campaigners dressed as cows will play a game of luck outside the Commission. Commissioner Cioloş has been invited to attend.
*** FRIDAY 13TH: LUCKY OR UNLUCKY FOR CAP REFORM? Environmental and farming groups call for greener and fairer farming
*** Brussels, July 12 – As the European Commission organises an important conference on the future of Europe’s farming (July 13), environmental and farming groups are asking policy makers to make this a lucky day for the Common Agricultural Policy. European agriculture needs to move away from harmful and industrialised farming and towards greener and fairer farming practices that lead to rural vitality [1].
The conference – ‘The CAP towards 2020 - taking stock with civil society’ [2] comes at a crucial stage in the process of agreeing a new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Campaign groups are calling on policy makers to fix Europe's broken model of farming and food consumption, and its devastating environmental and social impacts, with real reform.
Magda Stoczkiewicz, Director of Friends of the Earth Europe, speaking on behalf of the groups said: “The debate on food and farming in Europe needs a change of fortune – policy makers must push for a radical reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. Member states mustn’t be given the option to sidestep environmental measures when European citizens want to see green and fair farming that truly protects the environment and, provides healthy food for consumers and rejuvenates rural areas."
The current direction of the CAP debate will not deliver the food and farming that European citizens demand. The European Commission’s proposals have already beenrisk being watered down by the European Parliament and Council. The new CAP should promote green and fair farming that protects the environment, ensures long term food security, provides healthy food for consumers and creates diverse and resilient rural communities.
Magda Stoczkiewicz added: “Policy makers must build on the European Commission’s proposals. The priority should be rejuvenating farming and rural communities while providing a decent livelihood for all farmers – not business as usual.”
This summer European citizens will bring their demands for the future of Europe’s food and farming directly to Brussels [3]. The Good Food March will bring farmers, citizens and young people from across Europe to Brussels on September 19th 2012: www.goodfoodmarch.eu *** PHOTO/TV/MEDIA OPPORTUNITY: Friday July 13, 08.30-09.00, outside the Charlemagne building, av. 170 Rue de la Loi, Brussels. Campaigners dressed as cows will play a game of luck outside the Commission. Commissioner Cioloş has been invited to attend.
Images will be available from 12:00: http://www.flickr.com/photos/foeeurope
*** For more information please contact:
Sam Fleet, communications officer, Friends of the Earth Europe, (EN) Tel: +32 (0) 2893 1012, Mob: +32 (0) 470 072 049, [email protected]
Stanka Becheva, food campaigner for Friends of the Earth Europe Tel: +32 (0) 2893 1025, [email protected]
***
NOTES:
[1] To find out more please visit: Arc2020 < www.arc2020.eu> BirdLife Europe < www.birdlife.org/regional/europe> EEB
[2] http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/events/cap-conference-2012_en.htm
[3] Demands are already being collected: http://www.goodfoodmarch.eu/photo-action.html