COCERAL

🆕 Iliana Axiotiades, Secretary General of COCERAL, starts as the new Chair of the Board of Management of the European Food Forum 👏 As our members know well, #AgTrade has been a whirlwind in recent years of supply shocks, unexpected events, technological developments, policy news, and other challenges. As such, the EFF's mission of collaboration, innovation, and responsiveness in the development of #sustainable food policies is crucial. We look forward to working with and advancing the EFF's key role! https://lnkd.in/etHfuwwM

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🆕 The situation is clear: #trade drives the EU's economic growth and job creation. That's why COCERAL has been a member of the Open Trade Coalition, and we join 42 other organisations in a renewed call for bold and open EU #TradePolicy. First launched in July, the Coalition has grown into a united group behind the shared idea that trade openness is a key driver to keep the EU competitive, prosperous, and resilient in the face of global challenges. Trade openness must be a top priority for the EU over the next five years! See the full call here: https://bit.ly/4888i0q

🚨 With less than 100 days left to the date of implementation and information lacking on certain implementation tools, COCERAL joins 27 other European producer and industry groups to urge a delay of the entry into application of the #EUDR and immediate clarification of the conditions under which it will be implemented 🚨 All of the undersigned recognise the importance of global forests to combat #ClimateChange, preserve #biodiversity, and secure sustainable raw materials and supply chains and our responsibility to preserve them. In order to do it right, all supply chain actors need clarity in order to adjust their practices in compliance with the EUDR. This adjustment cannot be achieved at the last minute. It is clear that the time for proper preparation is long overdue and our industries are requested to implement obligations in a shorter timeframe than was ever demanded of any other industrial sector facing comparable EU legislation. It is crucial that the European Commission and Members States acknowledge that the set timeline is simply not feasible. Therefore, we demand immediate action to delay the EUDR’s entry into force and that the necessary compliance tools are fully provided with sufficient time to prepare adequately. #deforestation With COPA COGECA, FEFAC, and many more.

🆕 Failure to clarify #EUDR interpretation and to confirm implementation options upsets market players. Commodities have been harvested, processed and will soon be shipped, but our members and others have no certainty about the requirements needed to prove compliance. In an effort to prompt clear guidance from the Commission and Member States, COCERAL and FEDIOL have developed and released draft professional recommendations on how to implement the new Regulation, outlining the aspects and approaches where clarifications and validation from the Commission and Member States are urgently needed, as this can have major impacts on #FoodSecurity and the EU market! See our recommendations on the way forward here: https://bit.ly/3Zwpvyf And read the release in full ⬇ https://bit.ly/47FWh2e

COCERAL releases its 4th oilseeds #CropForecast for 2024 🌻 The EU-27+UK #rapeseed crop is forecast at 18.1m t (19.4m t in the previous forecast), down from last year’s 21.3m t. Find out why (on rapeseed plus sunflower and soybeans) here: http://bit.ly/4emJlAw

COCERAL releases its 4th #CropForecast for 2024 🆕 The total #GrainCrop in the EU27+UK is seen at 280.3m, a significant drop from the previous forecast of 296m t and the 294.2m t harvested in 2023. Rain, a lack of sunshine - read the causes here ⬇ https://bit.ly/4emJlAw

COCERAL's Iliana Axiotiades will be speaking at 14:00 CEST at a World Trade Organization #TradeDialogues webinar, "Shipping Food Across Borders, Navigating the Chokepoints". It's a topic highly relevant to our members, as we've seen from how they have handled disruptions and chokepoints following the invasion of Ukraine, drought issues in the Panama canal, and lack of access to the Suez Canal (Houthis’ attacks). Their resilience and ability to adapt and switch to alternative routes is essential for our #FoodSecurity! See all the WTO Dialogues here: https://lnkd.in/g4QZbpi

They say every shipment tells a story—of trade, innovation, and connectivity. After attending GAFTA's Commodity Shipping Training in Bucharest, I'd surely add *contracts* to that list. Thank you Gafta: The Grain and Feed Trade Association Jaine Chisholm Caunt OBE for this valuable experience and COCERAL for the opportunity to keep learning!

It's the #WTOPublicForum in Geneva! Flora Dewar is there on behalf of CELCAA, attending meetings with UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and World Trade Organization’s deputy director Jean-Marie Paugam on sustainable agri-trade. The annual WTO Public Forum event has over 700 speakers and more than 130 sessions, so it's essential for sharing the latest on #GrainTrade developments.