The Croatian Food Agency (HAH) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) organized an international conference entitled as „Croatia on its way to the EU Integrations – challenges and expectations toward food safety and agricultural policy” to mark the World Food Day. The conference was organized under the high auspices of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Prof. D.sc. Ivo Josipović and under the auspices of the Croatian Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.
This event was also supported by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) with the aim of promoting 10th anniversary of the EU Food Law and the establishment of EFSA
The audience consisted of approximately 170 participants representing national competent authorities, agriculture cooperatives, food industry, consumer’s organizations, scientist, and other stakeholder groups from Croatia and the countries of the region.
In the opening part the audience was welcomed and addressed by the Director of the Croatian Food Agency, Zorica Jurković, Stjepan Tanić, representative of the FAO, Finn Sheye, representative of the EFSA, Vladimir Šišljagić, County prefect of the Osijek-Baranja County, Nancy Butijer, Representative of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic Croatia and Božica Rukavina, Assistant Minister, Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic Croatia who opened the conference.
Prof.D.sc. Ivo Josipović, President of the Republic Croatia addressed to the audience by video message.
Plenary sessions were presented into two parts. The first part covered the topic of agriculture cooperatives as key initiative for the future of small scale farming.
The first presentation on Agriculture cooperatives and their importance in improving food security was delivered by Stjepan Tanić, Regional office for Europe and Central Asia, FAO, Budapest, Hungary.
Zoran Krsnik, National Wholesale Market Company, Zagreb, Croatia delivered the presentation on Agriculture cooperatives in the fruit and vegetable sector in Croatia, with an overview of the best practice in CEI region.
The next presentation, How European farmers and agri-cooperatives can ensure food security, innovatively and profitably in the future agricultural policy (CAP) was delivered by Prodromos Kalaitzis, COPA-COGECA, Bruxelles.
According to the programme, followed discussion and questions by the audience chaired by Prof.D.sc. Ružica Lončarić form the Faculty of Agriculture in Osijek.
After the break, Finn Sheye, Pre-Accession and ENP Coordinator, Advisory Forum and Scientific Cooperation Unit, European Food Safety Authority presented the EU food safety and EFSA – 10 years of achievements: Scientific cooperation with EU Member States and the Pre-Accession Countries.
Then Blaža Nahtigal, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, EFSA Focal Point, Ljubljana, Slovenia,
presented Experiences after accession to the EU – Presentation of public perception research study: Nanotechnology and food safety in Republic of Slovenia.
The concluding presentation on Food Safety in Croatia upon accession to the EU was delivered by Jarmila Turkalj, deputy director of the Croatian Food Agency.
The second part of the conference and discussion was moderated by D.Sc. Đurđica Ačkar from the Faculty of Food Technology in Osijek.
In active debate speakers and participants discussed about the food safety and distribution of responsibilities among the stakeholders in the whole food chain. In the concluding remarks, emphasis was on the importance of the integration of small scale farmers associations in cooperatives, as well on the possible changes and consequences on the food production after accession of Croatia to the European Union.