2nd meeting of the EU CAP Network’s Assembly – report

The second meeting of the EU CAP Network Assembly opened with a speech by DG AGRI’s Deputy Director-General Mihail Dumitru, who provided a comprehensive overview of the CAP’s current status, in particular progress in implementation, challenges faced and future initiatives.

This was followed by a report from the first meeting of the Steering Group, provided by Cormac McGann from the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine and member of the EU CAP Network’s Steering Group. This presentation also reminded the audience of the complementary roles of the Steering Group and the Assembly in the governance of the EU CAP Network.

The Assembly meeting offered detailed updates on the EU CAP Network's activities and the activities of Assembly members, including National Networks and the European LEADER Association for Rural Development (ELARD). The participants had ample time for Q&As and further discussions.

Parallel working groups focused respectively on innovation and knowledge exchange, the green architecture of the CAP, generational renewal and integrated territorial development.

In his concluding remarks, the Chair appreciated the exchanges of the day in helping Assembly members find out about what is happening ‘on the ground’ and gaps in activities that may need to be filled in the design of the next annual workplan of the EU CAP Network.