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Commenting on his election, Ramon Armengol said, “I am honoured to have been elected President of Cogeca. I will strive to enhance the promotion of the cooperative model as I firmly believe that it is among the most powerful of social and economic instruments to better structure the European agri-food sector. I am honoured to follow in Mr Magnusson’s footsteps and I hope to be able to continue his work during this particularly crucial period for the future of agriculture in Europe.”
Ramon Armengol listed three top priorities for his first term: providing a livelihood for current and future farmers, feeding a growing population and scaling up climate and environmental measures. Cogeca’s newly elected President stressed that tackling this three-pronged challenge would be hard as actions in one domain can have knock-on effects on others.
For Mr Armengol, European agri-cooperatives and their consolidation are the key to supporting an EU agricultural sector in which 96.2% of farms are classified as family farms. “Looking at the upcoming policy developments, it is paramount to endorse the cooperative model and support the growth of cooperatives. What we need from the EU is strong support and recognition of our democratic enterprises. By promoting cooperation among farmers in the different sectors, policy-makers can boost farmers’ incomes, strengthen their position in the agri-food chain, as well as improve our competitiveness on the global market.”
Mr Armengol will be supported by the following six Vice-Presidents, who were also elected today: Agnieszka MALISZEWSKA (Federacja Branżowych Związków Producentów Rolnych, Poland), Tiina LINNAINMAA (Pellervo, Finland), Thomas MEMMERT (Deutscher Raiffeisenverband, Germany), Leonardo POFFERI (Alleanza delle Cooperative Italiane, Italy), Bernard ADER (COOP de France, France), and Jørgen MIKKELSEN (Landbrug & Fødevarer, Denmark).
The election took place during an intense two-day gathering of European agri-cooperative representatives during which the Cogeca Business Forum also took place. This event underlined the critical role that agri-coops play in achieving economic, environmental and social goals. With input from the United Nations, the European Commission and agri-coop representatives, the event addressed the importance of agri-coops in reaching the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and the Farm to Fork Strategy.
To mark this occasion, Cogeca released a comprehensive brochure presenting over 80 stories from across the EU showcasing the role that cooperatives have played and continue to play in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
November 28, 2019 - Copa-Cogeca
