European Economic and Social Committee
Food for citizens
From a common agricultural policy to a common food policy
Vilnius, 21 June 2013
Programme
09:00 / – / 09:30 / Registration09:30 / – / 10:30 / Opening session
Welcoming by Martin Siecker, President of the INT Section (Single Market, Production and Consumption), EESC
- Miroslavas Monkevičius, Secretary of Vilnius City Council
- Mindaugas Kuklierius, Vice-Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania
- H. E. Philomena Murnaghan, Ambassador of Ireland to Lithuania
- Tonio Borg, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy (video message)
- Dilyana Slavova, President of the NAT Section (Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment), EESC
- Dacian Cioloş, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development (video message)
10:30 / – / 10:45 / Coffee break
10:45 / – / 12:00 / Panel 1 – Ensuring food safety for consumers
- Safety standards in the EU and beyond
- Use of new technologies in the production and processing of food, novel food
- Transparency of food production: production process, food distribution chains – overview, supervision, traceability
- Safer food, better business – a practical approach to food safety management
Alberto Spagnolli, Head of the Executive Office, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
Panellists:
- Reine-Claude Mader, President of the Consumer, Housing and Lifestyle Federation (CLCV), France; Spokesperson of the category "Consumers and Environment", EESC
- Paulo Gouveia, Director for General Affairs, Copa Cogeca
- Dr. Kazimieras Lukauskas, Head of the Regional Representation of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) in Moscow
Jonathan Peel, Member of the EESC
12:00 / – / 13:15 / Panel 2 – Healthy food – how to help consumers make healthy choices
- Eating habits and related public health challenges
- Protecting children from the promotion of unhealthy food
- Nutrition and health claims
- Labelling – providing complete and easy to understand information
- Food standards and consumers' expectations
Agnė Zuokienė, Director of the public institution "Azzara"
Panellists:
- Jup van 't Veld, Strategic Senior Consultant, Schuttelaar & Partners
- Madi Sharma, Entrepreneur and Consultant; Member of the EESC
- Agnė Zakarevičiūtė, Founder of the "Healthy child" movement
- Dr. Laima Urbšienė, Technical Director, state enterprise "Pieno Tyrimai"
Benedicte Federspiel, Member of the EESC
13:15 / – / 14:30 / Lunch
14:30 / – / 15:45 / Panel 3 – Food accessibility and affordability
- Gap between food prices and farmers income – role of the processing industry
- Buyer power – large retailers vs. SMEs – measures to prevent/sanction abuse of dominant positions or market power
- Security of supply – self-sufficiency or diversification of sources
- Food waste challenge
Dr. Guljahan Kurbanova, Economist, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Panellists:
- Andriejus Stančikas, Chairman of Chamber of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania
- Igor Šarmír, Head of Department of Food and Trade, Slovak Agricultural and Food Chamber; Member of the EESC
- Vaidotas Ilgius, Director of Food Bank Lithuania
Daiva Kvedaraite, Member of the EESC
15:45 / – / 16:00 / Coffee break
16:00 / – / 17:15 / Panel 4 – Eating local, eating seasonal – consumers' sustainable choice
- Local trade - better deal for farmers and consumers
- Food quality – can local trade protect us from buying a pig in a poke?
- Nice look, no taste – traps of all-year-round product availability
- On the way towards food serenity – a new holistic approach to reach equilibrium between safety, security and sovereignty in a sustainability framework
Notis Lebessis, Adviser, DG for Agriculture & Rural Development, European Commission
Panellists:
- Ausra Išarienė, Head of Food Department, State Food and Veterinary Service of the Republic of Lithuania
- Laima Petraitiene, Development Head of certification body "Ekoagros"
- Edgardo Iozia, President of the foundation "Prosolidar"; Member of the EESC
Mindaugas Maciulevicius, Member of the EESC
17:15 / – / 17:30 / Closing session
Summary of discussions: Mindaugas Maciulevicius, Member of the EESC
Food for thought: The world is hungry for food sustainability (by Bord Bia)