ERC/00/REP
REPORT

Twenty-Second
FAO Regional Conference
For Europe

Porto, Portugal,
24-28 July 2000
 
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS. Rome, 2000
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
 
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©FAO 2000

 


CONTENTS

SUMMARY OF MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction
Opening Ceremony.
Election of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons and Appointment of the Rapporteur Adoption of the Agenda and Timetable.
Setting up of Technical Committees, Appointment of Chairperson and Rapporteurs for each Technical Committee.
Statement by the Director-General
Ministerial Roundtable on Food Safety and Quality
Country Statements on the Follow-up to the World Food Summit
Review of the State of Food and Agriculture in the region
Rebuilding and Developing of Agriculture in Areas Stricken by Disaster and Armed Conflict
Food Safety and Quality as Affected by Organic Farming
Food Safety and Quality as Affected by Animal Feedstuff
Multifunctional Character of Agriculture and Land
Report on FAO Activities in the Region
Representation of the Region on the CGIAR
Reflection on Agenda and Structure of the Regional Conference
Date, Place and Main Theme(s) of the Twenty-third FAO Regional Conference for Europe
Adoption of the Report
Closure of the Conference

 


APPENDIXES
A - List of Participants
B - Agenda
C - Statement by the Director-General
D - List of Documents
E - Report of the FAO-NGOs/CSOs Consultation for Europe





SUMMARY OF MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS

Ministerial Roundtable on Food Safety and Quality

For the attention of Governments

The Conference (Roundtable):

  1. supported the "farm to fork" approach to food safety which would require food operators throughout the food chain to be responsible and accountable for the safety of their products (para. 16);
  2. recognized that the application of good manufacturing practices, good hygienic practices and quality assurance systems such as the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system, were essential in preventing food safety risks and in ensuring consumer protection (para. 16);
  3. emphasized the importance of traceability for all food, feed and their ingredients, as an essential requirement of food safety systems (para. 16);
  4. supported the principle of separating risk assessment from risk management, recommended maximum transparency in the operation of both components of risk analysis and agreed that the Codex Alimentarius Commission was the right forum for decisions on this matter (para. 17);
  5. took note with interest of the proposal made by The Netherlands to hold a Pan-European Conference on Food Safety and Quality in 2001; also noted the Director-General's suggestion that similar initiatives could be envisaged for other regions so as to promote a global action in favour of improved food safety and quality worldwide and that Sweden would host an EU Conference on Food Safety in March 2001 (para. 20).

Country Statements on the Follow-up to the World Food Summit

For the attention of Governments

The Conference highlighted:

  1. the relationship between food security and political stability in the countries of the Region and took note of the serious economic and humanitarian impact caused by the Kosovo crisis on neighbouring countries (para. 24 a));
  2. the importance and the need to involve NGOs and Civil Society in agricultural and rural development activities (para. 24 b));
  3. the usefulness of national and regional workshops and conferences organized by some of the Member Nations on sustainable agriculture and rural development (para. 24 c)).

For the attention of FAO

The Conference highlighted:

  1. the need for assistance to a number of Member Nations to combat prolonged drought (para. 24 d));
  2. the willingness of the Member Nations in the Region, including the CEECs, to contribute with expertise and resources to assist in reducing hunger and world food insecurity including providing support for preventive measures as well as support in crisis situations (para. 24 e));
  3. the appropriateness of an increased use of experts from CEECs and EU countries in the implementation of technical assistance projects (para. 24 f)).

Review of the State of Food and Agriculture in the Region

For the attention of Governments

The Conference:

  1. was in agreement with the conclusions contained in the document inasmuch as the main factors that would shape the economic environment in the European Region in the coming years were the EU enlargement, the Balkans reconstruction and the situation in the CIS-4 countries (para. 27).

For the attention of Governments and FAO

The Conference:

  1. noted that the future development of the agri-food sector in the EU accession countries would require harmonizing their market regulations and trade policies as well as institutions to put them in line with EU requirements (para. 27).

Rebuilding and Developing of Agriculture in Areas Stricken by Disaster and Armed Conflict (Balkans)

For the attention of Governments

The Conference stressed:

  1. that coordination between all donor initiatives to achieve an integrated approach was a key factor for successfully rebuilding the agriculture sector in the Balkans (para. 31);
  2. that to achieve stability and sustained prosperity in the Subregion, it would be necessary to foster social inclusion and cohesion through domestic reform programmes, rehabilitation of infrastructure, strong governance and democratic institutions (para. 31).

For the attention of FAO

The Conference:

  1. agreed that in defining its future activities in the Subregion, FAO should give particular attention to assisting the countries in moving from emergency to recovery/rehabilitation and development as well as in implementing the necessary reforms in their agricultural sectors (para. 30).

Food Safety and Quality as Affected by Organic Farming

For the attention of Governments

The Conference :

  1. emphasized that organic foods have to conform to quality and safety standards applicable to conventional food and that they needed to comply with organic production principles throughout the food chain from production on the farm through to processing, transportation, storage, labelling and marketing (para. 33);
  2. 18. suggested the inclusion of fermentation as a natural process for preserving organic foods, and the usage of appropriate preservation techniques to prevent contamination of animal feed used in organic animal production (para. 35);
  3. 19. noted that there were still significant differences between the countries in the degress of institutionalization and implementation of the rules and regulations related to inspection and certification of organic foods (para. 37).

For the attention of FAO

The Conference:

  1. invited FAO to bring forward priority actions to promote organic farming in the Region (para. 39).

Food Safety and Quality as Affected by Animal Feedstuff

For the attention of Governments

The Conference recommended:

  1. that traceability should be established in the whole feed chain (para. 42 a));
  2. the establishment of a negative list of raw materials in feeding stuffs and a list of undesirable substances and products, the presence of which should be minimised in feed, to ensure better consumer protection (para. 42 b));

The Conference stressed:

  1. the importance that countries establish official control systems to ensure effective implementation of legal provisions (para. 42 c));
  2. phasing-out of antimicrobial growth promoters should be implemented and gradually replaced by non-antimicrobial alternatives to promote changes in animal production practices that would improve animal health and welfare (para. 42 f));
  3. the importance to minimise all sources of pollution of relevance to the food/feed chain in order to support the activities related to improved food/feed safety and quality (para. 42 g));
  4. the importance of an international monitoring programme on feed contaminants accompanied by the necessary institutional and capacity building (para. 43).

For the attention of FAO

The Conference:

  1. welcomed the work that FAO had started in the area of animal feedstuffs and agreed that the conclusions and recommendations contained in the relevant document provided a basis for the identification of priorities for future work on the issues of food safety and related animal feedstuffs (para. 41);
  2. stressed that coordination between different international organizations needed to be encouraged in order to ensure coherence, to avoid duplication and to identify gaps in existing legal provisions (para. 42 d)).

Multifunctional Character of Agriculture and Land

For the attention of Governments

The Conference highlighted that:

  1. every country had the right to pursue non-trade objectives such as strengthening socio-economic viability and development of rural areas, food security and environmental protection (para. 48 b));
  2. besides the primary production function of agriculture there were other multiple functions inseparable from agricultural activity which often had the characteristics of public goods (para. 48 c));
  3. the multifunctional role of agriculture in the preservation of rural areas and biodiversity was very important for the countries in the Region, and could contribute to food security, rural development and employment, and the protection of agricultural resource base and protection of the environment (para. 48 d));
  4. the multifunctional role of agriculture could be particularly important in marginal and less favoured areas (para. 48 e));
  5. the multiple functions of agriculture were of significant importance for some Central and Eastern European countries which faced the problems caused by transformation and adjustment of their agricultural sector (para. 48 f));
  6. the concept of multifunctionality could be valuable in helping to meet the objectives of sustainable agricultural and rural development (para. 48 h)).

Report on FAO Activities in the Region, 1998-99

For the attention of FAO

The Conference:

  1. noted that priorities set out in the document are in line with the Strategic Framework (para. 50 a));
  2. recognized the valuable role of FAO in research, extension and information exchange activities and underlined that these should be further strengthened (para. 50 b));
  3. noted that more CGIAR funds should be made available for CEE and CIS countries (para. 50 c));
  4. noted that coordination and cooperation with other institutions working in similar areas would build needed synergies (para. 50 d));
  5. encouraged the continuation of joint activities with the UN/ECE and other institutions (para. 50 e));
  6. noted that greater emphasis should be given to the pre-accession process as this is of high importance to most countries in transition (para. 50 f)).

The Conference further :

  1. agreed that the issue of the meetings of the European Commission on Agriculture (ECA) should be further discussed in the European Regional Group in Rome based on a document which would include the implications of the various alternatives to be provided by the Secretariat for a meeting of the Group scheduled in September 2000 (para. 51).

Reflections on Agenda and Structure of the Regional Conference

For the attention of Governments

The Conference:

  1. noted that the new structure of setting up Technical Committees to meet in parallel with the Plenary had worked well and considered that the distribution of work between the Plenary and Technical Committees should be reviewed (para. 53)
  2. noted that the number and type of topics included in the agenda of the 22nd Session could pose problems for future sessions (para 54);
  3. agreed that this matter should be taken up by the European Regional Group when establishing the agenda for the 23rd Regional Conference for Europe (para. 54);

Date and Place of the Twenty-third FAO Regional Conference

For the attention of Governments

The Conference:

  1. welcomed the offer by Cyprus to host the next Conference and that the main item on the agenda should be "Combatting Desertification"; it took note of the reservation expressed by one delegation that should the next Conference be held in Cyprus, it would not attend; it further welcomed the offer by France to host the 24th Regional Conference for Europe in that country (paras. 56 & 57).

For the attention of FAO

The Conference:

  1. requested that the offers to host the Conferences in 2002 and 2004 be conveyed to the Director-General for decision in consultation with the Members of the Region (para. 57).

 


INTRODUCTION
  1. The Twenty-second FAO Regional Conference for Europe was held in Porto, Portugal from 24 to 28 July 2000 at the invitation of the Government of Portugal.
  2. The List of Participants is given in Appendix A to this Report.

OPENING CEREMONY

  1. The Director-General of FAO, Mr Jacques Diouf, welcomed participants to the Conference and expressed appreciation to the Government of Portugal for the generous hospitality and excellent facilities that had been provided for the Conference.
  2. The President of Portugal, His Excellency Jorge Fernando Branco de Sampaio, welcomed participants to the Conference and expressed his respect and recognition of the valuable work done by FAO throughout the world to solve the issue of food security and hunger in developing countries and creating synergies among developed countries to contribute needed resources and expertise in support of solving such issues.

ELECTION OF THE CHAIRPERSON, VICE-CHAIRPERSONS AND APPOINTMENT OF THE RAPPORTEUR (AGENDA ITEM 2)

  1. The Conference unanimously elected Mr Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos, Minister for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries of Portugal as Chairperson. In referring to the Agenda of the Conference he indicated that it included items of great importance to the Region and he highlighted in particular, the appropriateness of holding a Ministerial debate on food quality and safety.
  2. The delegations of the following countries were elected as vice-chairpersons:
    • France
    • Malta
    • Slovakia
  3. Ms Mariann Kovacs, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Hungary to FAO was elected Rapporteur.

ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA AND TIMETABLE ERC/00/1-REV.2 and ERC/00/INF/2-REV.2  (AGENDA ITEM 3)

  1. The Conference adopted its Agenda as given in Appendix B to this report.

SETTING UP OF TECHNICAL COMMITTEES, APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRPERSON AND RAPPORTEURS FOR EACH TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
(AGENDA ITEM 4)

  1. The Conference elected by acclamation the Chairpersons, Assistant-chairpersons and Rapporteurs for the following Technical Committees which would meet simultaneously with Plenary:

 

STATEMENT BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL (AGENDA ITEM 5)

  1. The Director-General delivered his Statement to the Conference, the text of which is given inAppendix C to this report.





MINISTERIAL ROUNDTABLE ON FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY   ERC/00/9

  1. In his introductory remarks, the Director-General indicated that the document submitted to the Roundtable was intended to guide the discussion on policy matters, institutional mechanisms and procedures for regulating and enforcing food quality and safety measures at national, regional and international levels. He stressed that the document emphasized the role of science-based risk analysis in establishing food safety regulations, as required under the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures. The document also identified existing institutions involved in risk assessment and risk management at national, regional and international levels, and called for the harmonization of relevant approaches and procedures among these institutions. Furthermore, the document referred to the use of precaution when scientific evaluation did not permit a potential risk to be assessed with sufficient certainty, and gave details of on-going discussions on this subject within the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
  2. In addition, the Director-General underlined that the document drew attention to the increased demand on international scientific bodies (JECFA, JMPR, ad hoc expert consultations) involved in food safety risk assessment and to the need to mobilize additional support to enable these bodies to address the assessment of newly emerging food safety risks in areas such as microbiological hazards, animal feeding and genetically modified organisms.
  3. The Roundtable was addressed by the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, Mr David Byrne, on Food Safety and Quality in the European Community. It was informed of the Commission's objectives and proposals for a comprehensive food safety strategy for the coming years as contained in the "White Paper on Food Safety" issued in January 2000. The Commissioner also informed on the proposal for the establishment of a European Food Authority (EFA) and of its role in scientific risk assessment, information gathering and analysis to identify emerging issues and a rapid alert system connecting control authorities across Europe.
  4. Most countries indicated that food safety was a high priority and informed of actions taken in recent years by their respective governments to increase the effectiveness of their food control systems.
  5. The Roundtable welcomed the attention given to food safety and biotechnology during the G-8 Summit in Okinawa and the emphasis placed on food safety issues. The Summit had reconfirmed the great importance of the work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission as the principal international standard-setting body in food safety.
  6. The Roundtable supported the "farm to fork" approach to food safety which would require food operators throughout the food chain to be responsible and accountable for the safety of their products. It recognized that the application of good manufacturing practices, good hygienic practices and quality assurance systems such as the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system, were essential in preventing food safety risks and in ensuring consumer protection. The Roundtable emphasized the importance of traceability for all food, feed and their ingredients, as an essential requirement of food safety systems.
  7. The Roundtable supported the principle of separating risk assessment from risk management and recommended maximum transparency in the operation of both components of risk analysis.
  8. Consumer information and involvement in the decision-making process was considered essential by most countries.
  9. Several countries stated that the precautionary approach/principle should be used whenever scientific evaluation did not permit potential risks to be assessed with sufficient certainty. The European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection had stated in his intervention that the European Commission's communication on the precautionary principle could form the basis for international consensus on this matter. The Roundtable was informed of on-going discussions on this issue within the Codex Alimentarius Commission and agreed that the latter was the right forum for decisions on this matter.
  10. The Conference took note with interest of the proposal made by The Netherlands of holding a Pan-European Conference on Food Safety and Quality in 2001. Some countries felt this proposal should be given further study given the importance of the subject. The Director-General expressed willingness to consider convening the proposed Conference in collaboration with interested Member Nations and institutions. He noted that similar initiatives could be envisaged for other regions so as to promote a global action in favour of improved food safety and quality worldwide. The Conference took note that Sweden would host an EU Conference on Food Safety in March 2001.





COUNTRY STATEMENTS ON THE FOLLOW-UP TO THE WORLD FOOD SUMMIT  ERC/00/3   (AGENDA ITEM 6)

  1. Twenty-six Heads of Delegation intervened on this agenda item
    European Community, France, Germany, Sweden, Hungary, Ireland, The Netherlands, Finland, Poland, Romania, Norway, Cyprus, Albania, Czech Republic, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Israel, Italy, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Denmark, Portugal, Slovak Republic while two statements (Malta and Lithuania) were delivered to the Secretariat.
       In addition, the Conference was addressed by the Co-Chairpersons of the European NGOs/CSOs Consultation, which was held in Porto on 21 and 22 July 2000. The Report of the Consultation is appended in Appendix E to this Report.
  2. The Conference expressed concern at the slow pace of achieving food security in many countries in the world. It took note of several Member Nations reiterating their commitment to achieve WFS goals. It was informed of the substantial contributions made by the EU and its Member States to official development aid for the purpose of food security. It further took note of the G-8 Summit (Okinawa) initiative on debt relief for low-income countries.
  3. The Conference also took note of the activities carried out by FAO in the Region to support the countries in meeting WFS commitments. Appreciation was expressed for the role played by FAO in coordinating the activities relating to the WFS follow-up by the concerned international organizations.
  4. The Conference highlighted the following points:
    1. the relationship between food security and political stability in the countries of the Region; it took note of the serious economic and humanitarian impact caused by the Kosovo crisis on neighbouring countries;
    2. the importance and the need to involve NGOs and Civil Society in agricultural and rural development activities;
    3. the usefulness of national and regional workshops and conferences organized by some of the Member Nations on sustainable agriculture and rural development;
    4. the need for assistance to a number of Member Nations to combat prolonged drought;
    5. the willingness of the Member Nations in the Region, including the CEECs, to contribute with expertise and resources to assist in reducing hunger and world food insecurity including providing support for preventive measures as well as support in crisis situations;
    6. the appropriateness of an increased use of experts from CEECs and EU countries in the implementation of technical assistance projects;
    7. continued support for the role of FAO as the lead agency for the elaboration of international standards within the framework of the Codex Alimentarius Commission;
    8. adoption by some countries of food legislation which would strengthen food safety systems to ensure consumers' health;
    9. the measures taken by CEE countries in the accession process, to harmonize national food legislation and standards with EU requirements.
  5. The Conference took note of the proposal made by the Delegation of Hungary for a water management project involving the countries of the Carpathian Basin to address recurring problems related to water management and the environment.





REVIEW OF THE STATE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE IN THE REGION ERC/00/4 (AGENDA ITEM 7)

  1. The Conference welcomed the document submitted by the Secretariat on this item and took note of the various structural factors that lie behind the deterioration in the food security situation and the rise in poverty in the Region. It noted in particular, that the Region included six low-income food-deficit countries and that food insecurity and poverty in the Region had increased as a consequence of local conflicts which resulted in massive displacements of populations which had adversely affected neighbouring countries and agricultural production.
  2. The Conference was in agreement with the conclusions contained in the document inasmuch as the main factors that would shape the economic environment in the European Region in the coming years were the EU enlargement, the Balkans reconstruction and the situation in the CIS-4 countries. In particular, the Conference noted that the future development of the agri-food sector in the EU accession countries would require harmonizing their market regulations and trade policies as well as institutions to put them in line with EU requirements.





REBUILDING AND DEVELOPING OF AGRICULTURE IN AREAS STRICKEN BY DISASTER AND ARMED CONFLICT (BALKANS) ERC/00/5(AGENDA ITEM 8)

  1. The Conference welcomed the information provided regarding the response of the Rome-based food and agriculture organizations to the Balkan crisis as contained in the document prepared by the three Secretariats. It was felt however, that more information should have been included on the contributions of countries to the rebuilding and development of agriculture.
  2. The Conference noted with satisfaction the level of food aid provided during and following the Kosovo crisis. Several countries expressed satisfaction with the quick reaction of FAO, WFP and IFAD to the crisis and the coordinating role played by FAO in this effort. The importance of collaboration and coordination between all involved agencies, including international financial institutions, was underlined. Albania, one of the countries most impacted by the conflict, expressed appreciation for the aid provided to feed and care for the refugees and to restore the country's economy following their repatriation. Bosnia and Herzegovina drew attention to the on-going destruction and danger due to land mines left behind in fields and forests. He noted the continuing serious need for farm equipment and other agricultural inputs as an important aspect of development following civil conflicts and the need for credit to assist in the rebuilding. The Delegation of the Republic of Azerbaijan invited the Rome-based food and agriculture organizations to take part in on-going pilot rehabilitation projects in certain war stricken districts of Azerbaijan, which took into account positive experience in rebuilding and developing of agriculture in war-stricken areas in the Balkans.
  3. The Conference agreed that in defining its future activities in the Subregion, FAO should give particular attention to assisting the countries in moving from emergency to recovery/rehabilitation and development as well as in implementing the necessary reforms in their agricultural sectors.
  4. The Conference concluded that coordination between all donor initiatives to achieve an integrated approach was a key factor for successfully rebuilding the agriculture sector in the Balkans. It also reiterated that to achieve stability and sustained prosperity in the Subregion, it would be necessary to foster social inclusion and cohesion through domestic reform programmes, rehabilitation of infrastructure, strong governance and democratic institutions.





FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY AS AFFECTED BY ORGANIC FARMING ERC/00/7 (AGENDA ITEM 10.1)

  1. In considering the document prepared by the Secretariat, all Member Nations expressed their positive evaluation and appreciation that FAO, in including this topic on the Agenda of the Regional Conference, has provided the opportunity for the exchange of opinions and presentations of individual countries' experiences in the development of legislation and regulations on organic farming relating to food quality and safety.
  2. As a result of the review conducted by the Technical Committee established for the purpose, the Conference was informed of the rapidly growing consumer demand for organic foods in the Region, particularly in the EU Member States and of the export opportunities that this demand would provide to farmers in Central and Eastern Europe and in CIS countries. It was emphasised that organic foods have to conform to quality and safety standards applicable to conventional foods. In addition, they needed to comply with organic production principles throughout the food chain from production on the farm through to processing, transportation, storage, labelling and marketing.

  3. The Conference was informed of the Codex Guidelines for the Production, Processing, Labelling and Marketing of Organically Produced Foods, adopted by the 23rd Session of the Commission (June/July 1999). These Guidelines constitute the internationally recognized framework for the harmonization of national requirements for organic foods. The Conference was further informed of the potential sources of contamination of organic foods. It was indicated that as far as chemical contaminants were concerned, organic foods offered definite advantages due to the non-use of synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilisers. However, like in conventional farming, the use of organic fertiliser could be a source of microbiological contamination of primary produce and needed, therefore, to be controlled.

  4. The Conference suggested the inclusion of fermentation as a natural process for preserving organic foods, and the usage of appropriate preservation techniques to prevent contamination of animal feed used in organic animal production.
  5. The attention of the Conference was drawn to other environmentally friendly production systems such as "ecological farming" and "integrated farming" which were also supportive to sustainable development and deserved appropriate recognition.
  6. On the basis of country experiences presented to the Technical Committee, it was evident that most countries of the Region attached substantial and increasing importance to organic farming as a practice that could potentially contribute to improved food quality and safety. However, there were still significant differences between the countries in the degree of institutionalisation and implementation of the rules and regulations related to inspection and certification of organic foods.
  7. In their approach to development and adoption of legislation related to food safety and organic farming, Central and Eastern European countries, in particular the candidates for European Union accession, were committed to comply with EU regulations which will become the legal framework for organic products in those countries.
  8. The Conference agreed in general with the analytical content of the document prepared by the Secretariat and with the proposed conclusions and recommendations. It invited FAO to bring forward priority actions to promote organic farming in the Region.





FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY AS AFFECTED BY ANIMAL FEEDSTUFF ERC/00/8 (AGENDA ITEM 10.2)

  1. As a result of the review conducted by the Technical Committee established for the purpose, the Conference noted the importance of food safety issues as affected by animal feedstuffs and highlighted the following:
    1. concern about safety of foods of animal origin had heightened due to problems arising from bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), dioxin contamination, outbreaks of foodborne bacterial infections, as well as growing concern about veterinary drug residues and microbial resistance to antibiotics;
    2. the livestock sector comprised widely differing production systems and therefore the problems related to the quality and safety of foods of animal origin could be highly variable in different regions of the world;
    3. international organizations had an important role to play in providing information and training which could be used at national level to improve the knowledge and skill of those involved in all areas of the feed industry, including primary producers of feed materials, in order to prevent failures in food/feed safety systems rather than control them;
    4. feedborne hazards could be decreased if feed production was subject, in the same way as food production, to quality assurance including food safety systems based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP);
    5. existing Codex Alimentarius standards, guidelines and recommendations were recognised in the WTO SPS Agreement, as the bench marks for food safety in international trade. Provisions relating to the quality and safety of animal feeds and food of animal origin were being developed within the framework of the Codex Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Good Animal Feeding.
  2. The Conference welcomed the work that FAO had started in the area of animal feedstuffs. There was general agreement that the document prepared by the Secretariat and the proposed conclusions and recommendations contained therein, provided a solid basis for the identification of priorities for future work on the issues of food safety as related to animal feedstuffs. Several delegations made detailed comments and suggestions on various technical aspects covered by the document; these will be included in a revised version of the document, as appropriate.

  3. The following additional recommendations were agreed upon:
    1. traceability should be established in the whole feed chain. Recent cases of feed hazards demonstrated that there was a need for a universal warning system;
    2. the establishment of a negative list of raw materials in feedingstuffs and a list of undesirable substances and products, the presence of which, should be minimised in feed, was called upon to ensure better consumer protection;
    3. the importance that countries establish official control systems to ensure effective implementation of legal provisions was stressed;
    4. coordination between different international organizations needed to be encouraged in order to ensure coherence, to avoid duplication and to identify gaps in existing provisions;
    5. other legitimate objectives such as animal health or welfare should be taken into account;
    6. phasing-out of anti-microbial growth promoters should be implemented and gradually replaced by non-antimicrobial alternatives to promote changes in animal production practices that would improve animal health and welfare;
    7. the importance to minimise all sources of pollution of relevance to the food/feed chain was stressed, in order to support the activities related to improved food/feed safety and quality.
  4. To further enhance food safety as it may be affected by animal feedstuffs, the Conference highlighted the importance of an international monitoring programme on feed contaminants accompanied by the necessary institutional and capacity building.





MULTIFUNCTIONAL CHARACTER OF AGRICULTURE AND LANDERC/00/6   (AGENDA ITEM 9)

  1. In presenting its document, the Secretariat drew the attention of the Conference to the different dimensions of agriculture and rural development particularly within Europe, where the understanding of multiple goods and services produced by agriculture was considered important for the formulation of policies for sustainable agriculture and rural development.
  2. The Secretariat provided the following information:
    1. prior to the Conference some FAO Member Nations not belonging to the European Region had expressed their concern to the Secretariat with regard to the preparation of the document on the subject;
    2. with regard to the viewpoints and the context of the Maastricht Conference held in 1999, the overall normative context of that Conference was provided by the 1992 United Nations' Conference on Environment and Development and the 1996 World Food Summit;
    3. recent international debates on trade had modified the context within which the concept of multifunctional character of agriculture might be analysed, and that the views of countries on this concept in the process of WTO negotiations on agriculture were wide-ranging and differed considerably; reference was made to the FAO Strategic Framework, in particular Paragraph 76, and to decisions of the 8th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development.
  3. The Conference welcomed the inclusion of this item on the Agenda and expressed general appreciation on the document prepared by the Secretariat.
  4. In discussing the document, the Conference encouraged FAO to continue the work on the concept of multifunctionality of agriculture and land, to further contribute to the sustainable agriculture and rural development in accordance with the specific needs of member countries.
  5. In discussing the specific aspects related to multiple functions of agriculture, the Conference highlighted the following:
    1. since the Maastricht Conference the importance of the various functions of agriculture has been acknowledged by a number of international fora;
    2. every country has the right to pursue non-trade objectives such as strengthening socio-economic viability and development of rural areas, food security and environmental protection;
    3. besides the primary production function of agriculture there are other multiple functions inseparable from agricultural activity which often have the characteristics of public goods;
    4. the multifunctional role of agriculture in the preservation of rural areas and biodiversity is very important for the countries in the Region, and can contribute to food security, rural development and employment, and the protection of agricultural resource base and protection of the environment;
    5. the multifunctional role of agriculture can be particularly important in marginal and less favoured areas;
    6. the multiple functions of agriculture are of significant importance for some Central and Eastern European countries which are faced with the problems caused by transformation and adjustment of their agricultural sectors;
    7. recognizing and enhancing the multifunctional role of agriculture in developing countries is an important element in achieving sustainable development;
    8. the concept of multifunctionality can be valuable in helping to meet the objectives of sustainable agricultural and rural development;
    9. to adequately address various functions of agriculture country specific agricultural and rural development policies may be needed;
    10. further work on multifunctionality should aim at making the concept more concrete and practical, within the framework of FAO work on SARD.





REPORT ON FAO ACTIVITIES IN THE REGIONERC/00/2, ERC/002-Sup., ERC/00/INF/8.   (AGENDA ITEM 11)

  1. The Conference reviewed the three documents prepared by the Secretariat for this Agenda item and indicated that they met the need expressed by the 21st FAO Regional Conference for Europe to:
    1. provide a detailed report on FAO activities in the Region for the 1998-99 period;
    2. identify priorities for FAO activities in the Region in which it had a comparative advantage;
    3. provide information on action taken in response to the Recommendations of the 21st FAO Regional Conference for Europe; and
    4. provide a summary of the activities of the Statutory Bodies of direct concern to the Region.
  2. The Conference expressed its appreciation to the Secretariat for the comprehensive reports and:
    1. noted that priorities set out in the document were in line with the Strategic Framework;
    2. recognized the valuable role of FAO in research, extension and information exchange activities and underlined that these should be further strengthened;
    3. noted that more CGIAR funds should be made available for CEE and CIS countries;
    4. noted that coordination and cooperation with other institutions working in similar areas would build needed synergies;
    5. encouraged the continuation of joint activities with the UN/ECE and other institutions;
    6. noted that greater emphasis should be given to the pre-accession process as this is of high importance to most countries in transition;
    7. noted the need for expansion of the Subregional Office for Central and Eastern Europe and the commitment of Hungary to complete this work in a timely manner;
    8. attention was drawn to the activities of the Working Party on Women and the Family in Rural Development in promoting the role of women in rural development.
  3. The Conference noted the report of the Chairman of the European Commission on Agriculture (ECA) on its 31st Session held in Rome in 1999. After lengthy discussion on whether the ECA should continue to meet between sessions of the ERC or to revise its timetable in order to hold sessions back to back with ERC, the Conference agreed that this matter should be further discussed in the European Regional Group in Rome. It was also agreed that the FAO Secretariat should provide information on implications of the various alternatives before the next meeting of the European Regional Group to be held in September 2000 in Rome.





REPRESENTATION OF THE REGION ON THE CGIAR INF. ERC/00/5.  (AGENDA ITEM 12)

  1. The Conference took note of the decision of the 117th Session of the FAO Council.





REFLECTIONS ON AGENDA AND STRUCTURE OF THE REGIONAL CONFERENCE (AGENDA ITEM 13)

  1. The Conference noted the new structure of setting up Technical Committees to meet in parallel with the Plenary. While it was felt that this approach had worked well, it considered that the distribution of work between the Plenary and Technical Committees should be reviewed. Some delegates indicated that parallel or simultaneous sessions of Plenary and Technical Committees posed difficulties for small delegations.
  2. While the Conference expressed its satisfaction with its Agenda for the 22nd Session, it noted that the number and type of topics could pose problems for future sessions. It agreed that this matter should be taken up by the European Regional Group when establishing the agenda for the 23rd Regional Conference for Europe.
  3. The Conference also noted the need for a structured and more focussed discussion on certain subjects, for example, the Review of the State of Food and Agriculture in the Region.





DATE, PLACE AND MAIN THEME(S) OF THE TWENTY-THIRD FAO REGIONAL CONFERENCE FOR EUROPE (AGENDA ITEM 14)

  1. The Conference welcomed the offer to host the next Conference extended by the Delegation of Cyprus who also referred to the decision taken by the European Regional Group in Rome to the effect that the main agenda item for the next Conference should be "Combating Desertification". The Conference took note of the reservation expressed by one delegation that should the decision be taken to host the next Regional Conference in Cyprus, it would not attend the Conference.
  2. The Conference also welcomed the offer to host the 24th Regional Conference for Europe extended by the delegation of France. The Conference agreed that both offers should be conveyed to the Director-General for decision in consultation with the Members of the Region.





ADOPTION OF THE REPORT (AGENDA ITEM 16)

  1. With some amendments, the text of the draft report was approved by the Conference.





CLOSURE OF THE CONFERENCE (AGENDA ITEM 17)

  1. In its capacity of Chairman of the European Regional Group, the Delegation of Malta, on behalf of the Conference, expressed deep appreciation to the Government of Portugal for the warm welcome extended to all delegations, the excellent facilities provided which contributed to the smooth and efficient conduct of the Conference and its Technical Committees and for the extremely generous hospitality offered. The Delegation of Malta also wished to place on record the Conference's appreciation for the care and attention with which the Government of Portugal had organized the study tour to the Douro Region.

APPENDIXES

APPENDIX A  - List of PARTICIPANTS


APPENDIX B - AGENDA

I. INTRODUCTORY ITEMS

1. Opening Ceremony.

2. Election of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons and Appointment of Rapporteur: for decision.

3. Adoption of the Agenda and Timetable: for decision (ERC/00/1-Rev.2 and ERC/00/INF/2-Rev.2).

4. Setting up of Technical Committees and Appointment of Chairperson and Rapporteur for each Committe.

II. STATEMENTS

5. Statement by the Director-General (ERC/00/INF/4).

6. Country Statements on the Follow-up to the World Food Summit (ERC/00/3).

This Agenda item will provide Heads of Delegations the opportunity to make a statement on actions taken and progress achieved in implementing the World Food Summit Plan of Action thus contributing to the global reporting process to the Committee on Food Security (CFS) by the Regional Conference in accordance with para. 9(b) of CL 115/REP. The Secretariat will, under this item, provide a succinct report on what has been accomplished to-date in meeting the Summit goals both in terms of agricultural development to reduce food insecurity and in building global advocacy with participation of the civil society at large.

III. SELECTED ISSUES OF AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

7. Review of the State of Food and Agriculture in the Region: for information (ERC/00/4).

8. Rebuilding and developing of agriculture in areas stricken by disaster and armed conflict (Balkans): for information and/or discussion (ERC/00/5).

Members will be informed of the measures taken by the Rome based agencies for food and agriculture to assist countries in the Balkans which suffered from civil strife, in particular Kosovo and the affected neighbouring countries in fulfilling UN Security Council Resolution 1244. Emergency assistance during and immediately after the conflict and development assistance to restore the productive capacity of the agricultural sector and the establishment of a local administration in Kosovo were among the priorities that have been faced with the view to ensure return to normal life for all concerned populations.

9. Multifunctional Character of Agriculture and Land: for discussion (ERC/00/6).

The multifunctional character of agriculture and land has been debated in a conference jointly organized by FAO and the Government of the Netherlands in Maastrict in September 1999. The purpose of the conference was to highlight the importance agriculture plays not only in producing the food we eat and the fibres we wear but also a wide range of other goods. It had also the purpose to show ways in which agricultural activities affect shaping the environment, as well as social and cultural systems and the multiple ways by which it contributes to economic growth. Broad themes covered dryland conservation, agricultural biodiversity, water, trade and environment, bio-energy and technology and research. Most of these topics are of relevance to the European Region and the purpose of this agenda item is to inform Members of the outcome of the Maastrict conference and allow for a debate on priority issues and recommendations within a European context for future action by Members and FAO.

10. Food Safety and Quality as affected by:

10.1 Organic Farming: for discussion (ERC/00/7)

In a number of European countries organic farming products already represent 10 percent of the food system, while others are experiencing high annual growth rates. Organic farming, contributes - by the techniques it uses - such as mulching, intercropping and biological pest control measures, to sustainable agriculture. It also contributes to increasing farm incomes as such products are sold at premium prices. In view of the increasing consumer interest for such products, the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission has recently produced a definition of organic farming and issued guidelines for such products qualifying as organic.

10.2 Animal Feedstuff: for discussion (ERC/00/8)

In June 1999, the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarious Commission set up an intergovernmental task force to elaborate standards for animal feeding. FAO (1997) had previously produced a draft Code of Practice for Good Animal Feeding. The draft Code covers good animal feeding practices and promotes the use of good practices in the procurement, handling, manufacturing, storage and distribution of commercially produced feeds for food producing animals. It provides guidance on general management of production processes, handling of pre-production ingredients and post-production storage and distribution practices. It also indicates that, in addition to BSE and dioxins, many other substances can contaminate animal feed. These include mycotoxins, agricultural and industrial chemicals, microbial pathogens, veterinary drug residues and heavy metals. The subject is topical and of high priority to Member Nations in the Region.

IV. ACTIVITIES OF FAO IN THE REGION

11. Report on FAO Activities in the Region: for discussion (ERC/00/2, ERC/00/2-Sup. and ERC/00/INF/8).

The document on this item will comprise (i) a detailed report on FAO activities in the Region, 1998-99; (ii) provide information on the activities of the Statutory Bodies concerning directly the European Region; and (iii) identify priorities for FAO activities in the Region within the Strategic Framework 2000-2015, with particular emphasis on countries with economies in transition.

12. Representation of the Region on the CGIAR: for information (ERC/00/INF/5).

V. OTHER MATTERS

13. Reflections on Agenda and Structure of the Regional Conference: for discussion and decision.

14. Date, Place and main theme(s) of the Twenty-third FAO Regional Conference for Europe: for decision.

15. Any other business.

16. Adoption of the Report.

17. Closure of the Conference.
APPENDIX C  - STATEMENT BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL

Mr Chairman,

Your Excellency, the President of Portugal,

Mr Independent Chairman of the Council,

Distinguished Ministers,

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure for me to welcome you to the Twenty-second FAO Regional Conference for Europe which, after 22 years, is once again being held in Portugal, at the kind invitation of the Government. Today we are gathered in Porto - the ancient Portus Calle -and now the second largest city in Portugal.

I should like to express, on behalf of all the delegations and the staff of FAO, my sincere gratitude to the Government and people of Portugal for their warm welcome and generous hospitality.

I should like to thank in particular His Excellency President Jorge Sampaio for honouring us with his presence at this opening ceremony. This bears witness to the importance that the highest authorities of this great nation attach to alleviating hunger and poverty in the European region, and throughout the world.

(State of food and agriculture in the world)

Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The world is undergoing a rapid pace of globalisation and interdependence, with borders increasingly opened economically.

The estimates for world cereal production in 1999 have recently been revised upwards and now stand at some 1.9 billion tonnes. This is, however, one percent down from 1998 and two percent down from 1997, which was a particularly good year. The only expected increase is for rice, while wheat and other cereal harvests will be lower. For the first time in four years, projected cereal consumption will exceed production. This will require a drawdown of 8 million tonnes from stocks, which will therefore amount to 334 million tonnes. Such a level guarantees a stock-to-utilization ratio within the safety margin of 17 to 18 percent.

For these reasons, the 1999/2000 marketing season could register an increase of over three percent in world cereal trade, equivalent to a volume of 222 million tonnes. However, cereal prices on world markets are generally lower than last year, a positive factor for cereal-importing developing countries and countries in transition.

We can also observe an encouraging sign in the fisheries sector, which registered a partial recovery in output in 1999 after the heavy falls in production of the previous year.

But the most positive factor is the indication in the FAO report on the State of Food Insecurity in the World of a reduction by 40 million between 1990-92 and 1995-97 of the total number of undernourished people in the developing countries. This annual average reduction of about 8 million people is encouraging, but is far below the figure of 20 million required to achieve the objective of the World Food Summit.

(Emergency situations)

Against such a global picture, 35 countries have been faced with food emergencies. At the end of 1999, the number of persons affected by food emergencies resulting primarily from natural and man-made disasters was estimated at about 52 million. However, data indicate that their relative frequency has changed over the last thirty years. Whilst in the 1970s and 1980s food emergencies were mainly the result of natural factors, in more recent years man-made disasters - especially war, civil strife and financial and economic crises - have done nothing but increase.

The role of FAO in such a context is more important than ever, assessing the food and agriculture situation, determining food aid needs and informing the international community, thanks to its Global Information and Early Warning System that works together with an extensive network of governmental and non-governmental organizations. FAO's expertise is also invaluable within the framework of consolidated appeals for humanitarian assistance and, especially, by providing direct assistance to farmers. In 1999, in response to the crisis in the province of Kosovo, emergency assistance projects in three countries amounted to US$ 12.7 million, of which US$ 1.6 million came from the Technical Cooperation Programme. In addition, three other emergency projects were implemented in the Region to support farmers affected by torrential rains, floods and earthquakes. The assistance consisted in the provision of agricultural essentials such as seeds, tools, fertilizers, livestock and veterinary products.

(Other "crises")

But the world is also increasingly faced with other "crises". These relate to the quality and especially the safety of food products, and to the impact of new agricultural techniques. Recent issues facing governments include the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (more widely known as "mad cow") crisis, the presence of dioxins and listeria in the food chain, and the controversy over products containing genetically modified organisms.

While such "crises" have occurred in developed countries, they create concern for the authorities and populations of developing countries and countries in transition that often lack sufficient capacity for analysis.

The Organization is responding to these challenges and demands. Its appropriate bodies, such as the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, are actively working on the drafting of codes of conduct. Within FAO, an inter-departmental programme has been initiated to deal with all the technical aspects of the issues. The programmes of the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques for Food and Agriculture will be reinforced to increase their contribution in these areas. As for questions of ethics, these are being examined by an internal committee supported by a panel of experts. The Codex Alimentarius remains the leading instrument for determining international standards - a crucial activity in the context of globalization and growing trade.

Forest fires are another problem, particularly - but not only - for Mediterranean Europe, where there are an increasing number of serious, localized crises each year. These fires are often devastating to the environment and forest assets, but also to agriculture and rural life. FAO is striving hard to harmonize forest fire policies, regulations and procedures, to improve early warning and information systems and to find the resources to strengthen national response capacity. In this connection, I welcome the proposal received from the Minister of Agriculture of Greece to set up an international centre for the coordination of forest fire control. In line with its mandate and the recommendations of the Meeting on Public Policies Affecting Forest Fires, that was held in October 1998 in Rome, FAO is ready to help take this initiative forward with individual countries, and especially the countries directly concerned, in order to coordinate actions effectively and marshal the resources needed to deal with this major cause of deforestation and environmental degradation.

(State of food and agriculture in the European region)

Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Since the last Regional Conference in May 1998, the Region of Europe has faced a number of man-made and natural "crises": the armed conflict in Kosovo which resulted in the almost unprecedented exodus of some 800 000 refugees and the internal displacement of the majority of the remaining population - estimated at 600 000 - while some 150 000 people were displaced to other parts of Serbia and Montenegro. The unresolved tensions in the Caucasus region affect several hundred thousand people who still need humanitarian assistance. Among the many natural disasters and emergencies, there have been the devastating earthquakes in Turkey which took 17 000 lives and left more than 600 000 people homeless and without work, and the recent drought that has caused numerous forest fires in southern Europe.

During the period 1995-1999, crop production in Europe increased by an average annual rate of one percent and by 1.8 percent for the cereal subsector. However, FAO's latest estimate of the Region's aggregate grain output for 1999 (EU, Central and Eastern European Countries, and the four CIS countries - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova) is some 5 percent lower than the previous year, at 276 million tonnes. While most Central and Eastern European countries have recovered from the post-reform slump in production, several countries experienced reduced grain harvests, mostly due to bad weather.

One of the main constraints to the development of agriculture of the Central and Eastern European Countries and the four CIS countries is the lack of investment credit.

(Highlights of FAO activities in the European region)

With agricultural output down and unemployment rates relatively high in some Central and Eastern European and CIS countries, the food security situation of some countries of the Region continues to be of concern, in spite of the commendable efforts made by several countries, including with the support of FAO.

Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,

As you know, the Special Programme for Food Security was launched in 1994 after its unanimous approval by the Council of FAO. The Programme's main objectives are to assist low-income food-deficit countries to rapidly increase food production and productivity on a sustainable basis, to reduce year-on-year variability of production and to improve access to food as a contribution to equity and poverty alleviation. To date, over 75 developing countries or countries in transition have asked to participate in the Programme, and I am pleased to report that, in June 2000, the Programme was operational in 55 countries, including two in the European region. The Programme is also under formulation in a further four countries.

Within the context of the Special Programme for Food Security, the Organization has encouraged trilateral cooperation among European countries, other member countries and FAO, in accordance with the provisions of the South-South Cooperation initiative.

FAO also launched in 1994 a Programme on Emergency Prevention for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases (EMPRES). Within the animal health component of this Programme, action in the Region has focused primarily on the control of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in a number of countries and on establishing a buffer zone for FMD in the Caucasus region.

A vast effort is also under way to establish the Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping System (FIVIMS), in accordance with the decision of the World Food Summit. By helping to map out food insecurity and vulnerability, the system contributes to the design and implementation of appropriate policies and programmes to combat poverty and food insecurity.

The World Food Summit set the goal of reducing by half the number of undernourished people by no later than the year 2015. The challenge in the follow-up period was therefore to see that the measures set out in the Summit's Plan of Action were translated into practical actions. Within this context, FAO prepared National Strategies of Agricultural Development: Horizon 2010 for 150 developing countries and countries in transition. Nineteen of these strategies have been prepared for the Central and Eastern European Countries and the CIS countries of the Region. A Regional Strategy for Agricultural Development and Food Security, drawing heavily on the national strategies, has also been prepared for the member countries of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).

(Training programme for multilateral trade negotiations)

FAO has also continued its assistance to the countries of the Region to assess the implications of the World Trade Organization trade negotiations on agricultural development and sustainable food security. However, some countries of the Region have neither the capacity nor the resources to meet effectively the challenges or take advantage of the opportunities flowing from the Uruguay Round Agreements, while at the same time preparing themselves for the next round of multilateral trade negotiations. FAO has therefore recently launched an "Umbrella Programme for Training on Uruguay Round and Future Multilateral Trade Negotiations on Agriculture" which includes 14 subregional training workshops, two for the countries in transition and held in Prague in October 1999 and January 2000. A total of 130 officials from 24 countries attended the seminars, and of these 24 countries, 21 were FAO Members of the European region.

FAO also continues to provide information on and make assessments of the global market situation and outlook for some 80 agricultural commodities and is responsible for monitoring the food security situation through its Global Information and Early Warning System.

(Parallel meeting to the 22nd FAO Regional Conference)

I am pleased to announce that, alongside this 22nd Regional Conference, a forum is also being held in Porto for regional non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations that play an important role in the rural and agricultural development of the Member Nations of the Region.

(Agenda for the Regional Conference)

Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The agenda for this Conference includes a number of important items, but the major focus is on food quality and safety. In this regard, I look forward to the conclusions of this afternoon's discussions at the Ministerial Round Table, with the participation of the EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, Mr David Byrne. I am confident that FAO's activities for food quality and safety as well as those of the joint FAO/WHO Secretariat to the Codex Alimentarius Commission will continue to have a major impact in helping countries improve consumer protection and access to international markets. I hope that FAO and the EU, and other European countries, will find ways and means of strengthening their cooperating in this important field.

Finally, I should like to turn to the specific role of Europe. Because of its ever-dynamic agricultural sector, which continues to be a driving force of prosperity, Europe's contribution to global food security is of the utmost importance and deserves special attention. The generosity of Europe in providing food assistance to populations stricken by natural and man-made calamities is commendable, but Europe could do more and better, helping the farmers, herders and fishers of the less advanced countries by transferring its agricultural technology and know-how. The programmes of assistance to developing countries executed in partnership with FAO provide an appropriate framework for such action, which would confirm Europe's central role in world stability and progress.

The challenge of ensuring sustainable food security for all is still before us, and we must relentlessly pursue our efforts to reduce the unacceptably high number of undernourished people, especially in the low-income food-deficit countries. For its part, FAO, together with all its partners, is giving the highest priority to helping these countries resolve this fundamental issue. I therefore urge you to intensify your efforts to achieve the objectives that you and the international community set when you subscribed to the commitments of the World Food Summit.

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I await the outcome of your deliberations with great interest and wish you every success in your work.

Thank you.

APPENDIX D - List of Documents

ERC/00/1-Rev.1 Annotated Agenda
ERC/00/2 et ERC/00/2-Sup. Report on FAO Activities in the Region
ERC/00/3 World Food Summit Follow-up
ERC/00/4 Review of the State of Food and Agriculture in the Region
ERC/00/5 Rebuilding and Developing of Agriculture in Areas Stricken by Disaster and Armed Conflict (Balkans)
ERC/00/6 Multifunctional Character of Agriculture and Land
ERC/00/7 Food Safety and Quality as affected by: Organic Farming
ERC/00/8 Food Safety and Quality as affected by: Animal Feedstuff
ERC/00/9 Proposed Issues for Discussion at the Ministerial Roundtable on Food Safety and Quality
INF. SERIE
ERC/00/INF/1-Rev.2 Information Note
ERC/00/INF/2-Rev.2 Timetable
ERC/00/INF/3-Rev.1 List of documents
ERC/00/INF/4 Statement by the Director-General
ERC/00/INF/5 Representation of the Region on the CGIAR
ERC/00/INF/6 List of delegates
ERC/00/INF/7 Statement of Competence by the European Community (EC) and its Member States
ERC/00/INF/8 Report on Action Taken Stemming from the 21st FAO Regional Conference and on Statutory Bodies concerning directly the European Region





Appendix E - SUMMARY OF THE REPORT OF THE FAO-NGOs/CSOs CONSULTATION FOR EUROPE

Annex I: List of participants
Annex II: Timetable

1. The European Regional Consultation between FAO and non-governmental and civil society organizations (NGOs/CSOs) was held in Porto, Portugal on 21-22 July 2000 in conjunction with the 22nd FAO Regional Conference for Europe. It brought together thirty-five participants representing thirty national, regional and international organizations from Europe.

2. The Consultation highlighted that the goal of reducing food insecurity is far from being attained. Four years after the World Food Summit the attitude of many civil society organizations is pessimistic, particularly regarding the implementation of the commitments contained in the World Food Summit Plan of Action. To date, little significant progress seems to have been made. An extra effort will be needed to improve the situation of food security in Europe and globally and to halve the number of the hungry by 2015.

3. The Consultation reviewed the situation of food security, food safety, sustainable agriculture and rural development in Europe and concluded that Europe is not exempt from a trend observed generally throughout the world, that of the growing gap between rich and poor, not only within individual countries, but also between countries and regions. The Consultation considered that this phenomenon is particularly severe in European countries with economies in transition which, over the past few years, have undergone the most significant increase of inequalities in their history (UNDP Report on Human Development, 1999).

4. The Consultation discussed priorities for future cooperation, among civil society organizations in Europe, governments and FAO, to achieve food security and sustainable development objectives within the framework of the recently published document on FAO Policy and Strategy for Cooperation with NGOs and civil society organizations. It recognized that networking and sharing of information and experience was essential at all levels, from the grassroots up to the regional and global levels. It noted that another important level for networking is that of subregions and, in this context, CSOs need to interface with intergovernmental organizations at this level. Among the many means that should be used for networking, including electronic communications, documents and rural radio programmes, the Consultation emphasized the importance of people-to-people contact.

5. The Consultation identified some priority actions and issues within the broad fields of food security, sustainable agricultural and rural development and food safety on which the NGOs/CSOs felt attention could be focussed in strengthening their networking, their participation in policy dialogue and their capacities:

6. The participants of the Consultation proposed several actions to be taken in the future cooperation between NGOs/CSOs, inter alia:

7. The Consultation indicated the following areas of cooperation between NGOs/CSOs and FAO:

8. The NGOs/CSOs recognize that Governments have the primary responsibility for ensuring food security and sustainable development and for defining and enforcing a policy framework that takes account of the interests of all sectors of the population. In this context, the Consultation made a number of proposals for cooperation between NGOs/CSOs and governments, inter alia:

9. Follow-up to the present Regional Consultation should build upon the work done to date and maintain the continuity between the consultations, with the inclusion of new civil society partners. Attention was drawn to the difficulties experienced by many NGOs, even of Western European countries, in attending meetings of this kind unless some funding is available to help cover costs of travelling and living expenses.

II. REPORT OF THE FAO-NGOs/CSOs CONSULTATION FOR EUROPE

A. PREFACE

10. The European Regional Consultation between FAO and non-governmental and civil society organizations (NGOs/CSOs) was held in Porto, Portugal on 21-22 July 2000 in conjunction with the 22nd FAO Regional Conference for Europe. Organized in partnership with the Liaison Committee of Development NGOs to the European Commission, it brought together thirty-five participants, representing thirty national, regional and international organizations.

See the List of Participants in Annex I. Fourteen participants were from non EU countries of Central, Eastern and Southern Europe. Financial support to help cover travel costs of some of these participants as well as those of the NGOs/CSOs representatives at the Regional Consultations held in 2000 in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean was received from the Governments of Canada, Italy and The Netherlands and from the agricultural cooperatives of Japan (Ja Zenchu). In addition, three participants from the Baltic countries were funded by the Baltic America Trust Fund and UNDP helped to cover costs of CSO participation from Armenia.
The objectives of the Consultation were to provide these organizations with an opportunity to share perspectives and experience regarding food security and sustainable agriculture and rural development, to communicate to the governing bodies of FAO, their viewpoints regarding World Food Summit follow-up and other items on the agenda of the FAO Regional Conference, and to formulate a joint action plan within the framework of the new Policy and Strategy for FAO Cooperation with NGOs and CSOs.

11. The Consultation was opened by the Officer-in-Charge of the FAO Regional Office for Europe and the representative of the Host NGOs Committee. Participants approved the provisional programme. See Annex II  Mr Daniel Van der Steen of the Joint Liaison Committee of Development NGOs to the EC - EURONAID Food Security Working Group was elected Chairperson of the Consultation. The Vice-Chairpersons were Ms Dorotea Metera of the IUCN Office for Central Europe and Mr Jeremias Carvalho of OIKOS (Portugal). The rapporteurs were Ms Daniela Cucu of the Association for Protection of Consumers of Romania, Ms D. de Morree of the Foundation on World Food Issues/FAO Committee of The Netherlands, and Ms Anamarija Slabe of the Institute for Sustainable Development of Slovenia.

B. REVIEW OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED AT THE WORLD FOOD SUMMIT NGOs FORUM (NOVEMBER 1996)

12. Four years after the World Food Summit it is instructive to review the main recommendations contained in the Declaration of the NGOs Forum. The NGOs who drafted them find that their validity and continued relevance is reconfirmed each day in their work in the field. The warning they raised at the WFS regarding trade issues, for example is now more timely than ever:

"The globalization of the world economy, as well as the absence of control over multinationals and the diffusion of models of over-consumption, have led to an increase in world poverty. Today's world economy is characterized by unemployment, low salaries, the destruction of rural economies and family farming." (NGOs declaration to the WFS, November 1996).

13. If the rendezvous of 2015 is to be met, governments and European governments in particular - need to reconfirm their commitments and take a fresh look at what is required to meet them. The pursuit of economic globalization, which appears to be the priority item on the agenda, raises basic difficulties for food security in the eyes of civil society organizations. Globalization and liberalization do not by any means automatically guarantee a reduction in poverty and food insecurity if specific actions are not taken to this effect. On the contrary, the marginalization of the poorer sectors of the world population is increasing to such an extent that the objective of the WFS becomes ever more elusive. Civil society organizations are therefore more convinced than ever that an alternative model must be sought to attain food security, one which "questions the present model, based on a concentration of wealth and power which endangers the food security, the cultural diversity and the eco-systems which make life possible on this planet" (NGOs Declaration on Item 6 of the 30th Session of the FAO Conference, November 1999).

Summary of Major Recommendations of the WFS NGOs Forum

  1. Strengthen the capacities of small food producers - including indigenous peoples, women, young people - and reinforce local and regional food systems.
  2. Reverse the tendency to the concentration of wealth and implement measures aimed at blocking further concentration: in particular, promote agrarian reform benefiting poor rural populations who want to farm the land and prohibit dispossession of the genetic resources of peasant farmers, essential to their food security.
  3. Modify present agricultural and food production systems, which are based on the exploitation of non-renewable resources and have a negative impact on the environment, in favour of models based on agro-ecologic principles.
  4. Reaffirm the primary responsibility of governments and states to guarantee food security.
  5. Reinforce and deepen the participation of people's organizations and NGOs at all levels by guaranteeing freedom of association and civil society involvement in the formulation, the implementation and the impact monitoring of food security policies and programmes at national and international levels.
  6. Proclaim the international right to food and the relevance of food sovereignty over macro-economic policies and market liberalization. Food cannot be considered a commodity. Recognize the right of each country and people to develop its own agriculture, given multiple functions that it assures and which are essential to food security. Develop and negotiate effective instruments to enforce the right to food, including a Code of Conduct regulating the conduct of all concerned actors and a Global Convention of Food Security to support governments in developing and implementing national food security plans and to create an international network of food stocks.
  7. Progressively replace food and with support to local agriculture. When aid is indispensable, place the accent on local purchases and triangular exchanges.

14. In a world context of this nature, the goal of reducing food insecurity is far from being attained. Four years after the World Food Summit the attitude of many civil society organizations is pessimistic, particularly regarding the implementation of the commitments contained in the World Food Summit Plan of Action. To date, little significant progress seems to have been made. An extra effort will be needed to improve the situation of food security and food safety in Europe and globally, and to halve the number of the hungry by 2015.

C. THE SITUATION OF FOOD SECURITY, FOOD SAFETY, SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN EUROPE TODAY

15. These considerations apply to the European Region just as much as to the poorer regions of the world. Europe is not exempt from a trend observed generally throughout the world, that of the growing gap between rich and poor, not only within individual countries, but also between countries and regions. This phenomenon is particularly severe in European countries with economies in transition which, over the past few years, have undergone the most significant increase of inequalities in their history (UNDP Report on Human Development, 1999). Nevertheless, it is important to note that income differences occur even where the overall situation is one of global economic and income growth, such as the Western European countries.

The Present Situation in non-EU Countries

Economic, social and environmental problems

16. The world food and agricultural markets are distorted by measures and subsidies of developed country and by multinational companies. This market distortion has negative effects on food security and sustainable agriculture in other countries, including developing countries. The agricultural subsidies of EU cause distortions of the food market in CEE countries. At the same time, the countries are subject to international regulations that are often unfavourable to farmers (WTO, EU).

17. The change of the socio-economic system from socialism to capitalism has led to a reduction in food production in transition economies. Participants felt it is better to have a system, communist or capitalist, than no system at all.

18. Differences of conditions and levels of productivity between Eastern and Western economies result in competition in which Eastern countries feel disadvantaged. Where the agriculture sector is concerned, in CEE countries traditional farming systems are important for many poor peasants (providing income for rural people is one of the important functions of the agriculture sector) but they lack support in the fields of research, policy and institutional infrastructures. These traditional systems find it increasingly difficult to compete with industrialised farming, which receives various forms of support.

19. Regional cooperation and soil rehabilitation programmes are generally lacking, along with credit and investment institutions, investment, infrastructure (roads, transportation, distribution, access to supplies and waste disposal), other occupational opportunities (diversification of rural economic activities). In this situation, governmental strategies and policies have not managed to convince young people to return to the countryside and work the land alongside their parents.

20. Producers' commitment to sustainable agricultural practices is hindered by problems of public management and ownership of land. Land reform in some countries and inheritance legislation in others have led to a great number of small exploitations which are not economically viable and/or to which farmers do not have secure entitlement. Pressure on the land and unsustainable agriculture practices, like heavy use of agro-chemicals, have led to pollution, over-fertilisation, soil degradation, deforestation, climatic changes and desertification. Some countries also face problems of over-industrialisation with no concern for the environment. All these factors contribute to make agriculture less productive and sustainable and have led to unemployment and urban drift.

21. Military conflicts and civil wars causing significant movements of people and refugees are other important problems having an impact on food security.

Human resources development and organization

22. Small farmers lack information, capacities and support services necessary to improve their farming systems in appropriate ways. They are sensitive to risk and cautious where change is concerned. This situation often hinders, for instance, a shift to organic production. In other cases, however, farmers have adopted organic practises from economic necessity, because they lack resources to purchase inputs.

23. Consumers are insufficiently informed about labelling and how to choose food products. Regulations for protecting consumers are also lacking. There is a need for the strengthening of consumer organizations. The rural areas lack trained human resources in general (teachers, medical doctors, veterinarians, lawyers, etc.).

24. Civil society organizations (like peoples' and peasants' organizations) are not consulted and are not involved in designing appropriate policies, and lack training to formulate and advocate alternative proposals.

Specific concerns related to the accession of Eastern and Central European countries to the EU

25. People are preoccupied by the potential impact of the necessity to conform to EU regulations, particularly since civil society organizations are not being adequately consulted in the negotiation process.
Food security: what will happen to traditional production systems and their capacity to provide income for farmers?
Sustainable agriculture: fear that traditional systems that have proven effective will be replaced by industrial systems.
Cultural identity: people fear that it is threatened. They do not want to be caught up in consumer culture.

26. In this context, NGOs from Portugal and Spain reported on their positive and negative experience in the decade since their accession to the EU.

The Situation in EU Countries

27. Participants felt that there were not as many problems of food security in EU countries as in non-EU countries, but with some nuances:

28. Sustainable agriculture and rural development is receiving more official attention than in the past, but the general orientation of the CAP must still be criticized:

29. Although formal democracy exists in EU countries, this does not ensure economic democracy. On the contrary, it was felt that economic power and access to productive resources are poorly distributed among citizens in many countries.

D. ACTION PROPOSALS FOR FUTURE COOPERATION

30. Participants discussed priorities for future cooperation towards food security and sustainable development objectives, among civil society organizations in Europe, governments and FAO in the context of its new Policy and Strategy for Cooperation with NGOs and other civil society organizations. As a basic principle, it was emphasized that all actions intended to improve the situation of farmers, consumers and citizens in general, in Europe, should have a global perspective and take into account the impact they would have on the Southern regions of the world.

Forms of Cooperation

Networking and sharing of information and experience

31. Networking was felt to be essential at all levels, from the grassroots up to the regional and global levels. CSOs from many CEE countries reported that civil society networking at national level was weak. Even where a national generalist NGOs umbrella organization existed, there was no effective sharing of information and coordination of action among organizations working in the specific field of food security and agricultural and rural development. In some Western European countries, such as The Netherlands, strong national networks of food and agriculture NGOs have been built up over the years, and NGOs in CEE countries can learn from this experience. It was suggested that participants from countries where such national networks do not exist should call meetings of food and agriculture-related NGOs on their return, report to them on what took place at this Consultation, and discuss follow-up proposals. This can be the occasion to start national networking.

32. Another important level for networking is that of subregions. These are becoming increasingly signficant economic and political units in the context of globalization, and it is important that civil society organizations interface with inter-governmental organizations at this level. The Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) was cited as one example, where sharing of experience is facilitated by the fact that the distances separating the member countries are reduced and conditions throughout the subregion are similar. It was noted that FAO is working with the BSEC to develop a subregional food security strategy and programme.

33. Among the many means that should be used for networking, including electronic communications, documents and rural radio programmes, participants emphasized the importance of people-to-people contact. Exchange programmes should include farmers and other CSO grassroots members and should take place among organizations in different European countries and between North and South.

Policy dialogue

34. NGOs/CSOs recognize the responsibility and the authority of governments to ensure national food security, sustainable agriculture and rural development, and food safety. Civil society participation in the formulation, implementation and monitoring of policy and programmes is intended to reinforce governments' capacity to act effectively and transparently in this regard, taking into consideration the interests of the various sectors of the population. NGOs/CSOs involvement in policy discussion can help decision-makers to improve the legal and administrative framework within which all actors will operate. The importance of NGOs/CSOs participation in policy formulation and monitoring was emphasized by FAO Member Governments in underwriting the WFS Declaration and Plan of Action. Civil society seeks implementation of this principle.

35. Participants emphasized that multi-stakeholder dialogue is essential at all levels, from local to national, in order to reach a consensus among all of the various sectors who will be affected by a particular policy or programme. In many CEE countries this represents a significant change in the practise of both government and civil society. Sensitization is required both to help officials learn to become more open to civil society participation and to help citizens learn to speak out and take initiative.

36. It was felt that NGOs could play a role of facilitating dialogue between some different sectors within the society who need to better understand each others' viewpoints, such as farmers using different agricultural technologies, or between consumers and producers.

Field programmes and capacity building

37. NGOs/CSOs are making efforts to strengthen their capacities in order to become reliable partners in dialogue with government and to provide effective services to producers and consumers. A priority in this regard is the capacity to analyse policies in the field of food, agricultural and rural development and natural resource management. NGOs/CSOs have to be able to undertake their own independent analysis of the likely impact of proposed policy measures. They need to be able to formulate strategies and policy proposals representing the interests of small producers and consumers.

38. Training and technical assistance for NGOs/CSOs leaders is essential, as are demonstration centres to reach members at local level. Language and literacy training are required to ensure that grassroots members, particularly women, benefit from training opportunities. Good experience should be documented and diffused so that others can learn from it.

Resource mobilization

39. In order to strengthen their human resources, national NGOs/CSOs in CEE countries should build partnerships with the academic and scientific communities and with students. External sources of support to build human resources include INGOs and EU NGOs and technical agencies like FAO.

40. NGOs/CSOs identified a variety of potential sources of financial support for their organizations and their programmes. It was felt to be important to diversify sources of support and to take full advantage of resources available nationally before looking outside. Several organizations reported that they are receiving support from national budgets and from local authorities to carry out development activities and projects. Private sector support is being accessed by others. Rotary can combine internal support, through local Rotary Clubs, with international funding.

41. Foundations were cited as one important source of outside support. International financial institutions and UN agencies were another. It was noted that FAO's Technical Cooperation Programme could fund capacity building programmes for civil society organizations with the approval of the concerned government. The EC has funding available for civil society organizations in CEE countries, and some bilateral governmental cooperation programmes are also active in this regard.

Priority Issues on which to Focus Cooperation

42. Participants identified some priority actions and issues within the broad fields of food security, sustainable agricultural and rural development and food safety on which they felt attention could be focussed in strengthening their networking, their participation in policy dialogue and their capacities:

Roles

43. To achieve meaningful results in the priority areas identified above, partnerships and division of work will be required, respecting the roles of each partner.

NGOs/CSOs

44. NGOs/CSOs have an important role to play in articulating and defending the interests of farmers and consumers in the formulation of agriculture and food policies, in providing services to rural producers and in promoting the growth of strong, effective and representative peoples' organizations. They are often in the forefront of experimentation with new approaches to sustainable development like organic farming.

45. National NGOs/CSOs in CEE countries should promote the structuring of civil society from the base up by motivating their members and by extending their organizations and improving their effectiveness and legitimacy. They should undertake public education campaigns with the involvement of media. They should lobby the governments and network with other local, national, regional and international NGOs.

46. National NGOs in EU countries could provide advice and assistance to partner NGOs in the rest of Europe to help them build their capacity, improve their lobbying techniques and learn how to access funding at the European level. The EU development NGOs can help to bring a global dimension to NGOs work on food and agriculture issues in Europe.

47. International NGOs can support the work of national NGOs/CSOs by helping them to network all over the world, by sharing information and by providing assistance to the members they represent internationally. Technical INGOs can form partnerships with CSOs that work in direct contact with rural people. Many INGOs are performing these kinds of functions in CEE countries.

FAO

48. FAO should offer assistance to NGOs/CSOs by providing capacity building, training and technical assistance in the priority areas identified by CSOs which fall within its mandate and by providing needed data, information and statistics. Participants encourage FAO to continue its good work in defining the various functions that agriculture can fulfil to the benefit of citizens and the contribution of organic farming to sustainable agriculture and food safety.

49. FAO can facilitate NGOs/CSOs participation in governmental decision-making processes. It can encourage exchange of experience through meetings like the present regional consultation.

50. Participants look to FAO to implement the positive commitments contained in its new strategy for cooperation. Particular reference was made to the importance of effective diffusion of information on FAO field programmes and other activities; enhancement of civil society participation in policy fora through such means as providing them with opportunities to react to meeting papers and to interact with government delegates; and support for civil society capacity building. FAO missions to countries should make a point of contacting civil society organizations and involving them in programme discussions.

Governments

51. Governments have the primary responsibility for ensuring food security and sustainable development and for defining and enforcing a policy framework that takes account of the interests of all sectors of the population. In this context participants made the following suggestions:

E. BUILDING ON THE PRESENT REGIONAL CONSULTATION

52. Participants felt it was important to find a good balance between reaching out to new civil society partners and maintaining continuity from one consultation to the next. This is particularly important as FAO's cooperation with civil society organizations in Europe broadens out from its traditional links with development NGOs in western countries to include a variety of CSOs in central, eastern and southern countries.

53. FAO and NGOs/CSOs should monitor progress to implement the recommendations expressed by this Consultation and to build on them at future consultations, maintaining an active dialogue in the intervening period.

54. It should be recognized that many NGOs, even in Europe, have difficulties in attending meetings of this kind unless some funding is available to help cover their travel and living expenses. FAO and NGOs/CSOs should jointly seek solutions to this problem. At the same time, action should be taken in the future to make this type of consultation more meaningful to NGOs networks and to ensure better outreach to organizations which are not directly present. One possible mechanism could be through a national process of consultation with all important NGOs/CSOs involved in food security and agricultural development issues. Another could be an electronic conference feeding into the consultation.






 

FAO-NGOs/CSOs CONSULTATION FOR EUROPE

ANNEX I - LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

ANNEX II

FAO-NGOs/CSOs CONSULTATION FOR EUROPE

TIMETABLE

Friday, 21 July Agenda Item
08:30 hours Registration  
09:30 hours Election of Officers
Adoption of Provisional Agenda and Provisional
Timetable

Opening Addresses by:
- The FAO Regional Representative for Europe
- The President of the Host NGOs-CSOs Committee		 1

2
3
10:30 hours Coffee break  
11:00 hours Introduction to the following items on the provisional agenda of the 22nd FAO Regional Conference for Europe:
- Follow-up to the World Food Summit (Document ERC/00/3)
- Multifunctional Character of Agriculture and Land (Document ERC/00/6)
- Food Safety and Quality as affected by Organic Farming and Animal Feedstuff (Documents ERC/00/7 and ERC/00/8)
 4 and 5
13:00 hours Lunch  
14:30 hours Working Groups 4 and 5
Saturday, 22 July  
09:00 hours Plenary session:Reports from working groups and discussion 4 and 5
10.30 hours Coffee break  
11.00 hours Plenary session:
Introduction to agenda item
Action Plan to Implement the New Strategy for
FAO/NGOs-CSOs Cooperation in Europe		 6
11.45 hours Working Groups 6
13:00 hours Lunch  
14:30 hours Working Groups (cont.) 6
16.00 hours Coffee break  
16.30 hours Plenary session:
- Reports from working groups
- Conclusions and recommendations
- Closure of the Consultation
 

 



FAO members in the European Region (November 1999)

Albania

France

Norway

Armenia

Georgia

Poland

Austria

Germany

Portugal

Azerbaijan

Greece

Romania

Belgium

Hungary

San Marino

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Iceland

Slovakia

Bulgaria

Ireland

Slovenia

Croatia

Israel

Spain

Cyprus

Italy

Sweden

Czech Republic

Latvia

Switzerland

Denmark

Lithuania

The Former Yugoslav

Estonia

Luxembourg

Republic of Macedonia

European Community

Malta

Turkey

(member organization)

Moldova

United Kingdom

Finland

Netherlands

Yugoslavia



Date and place of FAO Regional Conferences for Europe

First

- Rome, Italy, 10-15 October 1949

Second

- Rome, Italy, 10-15 October 1960

Third

- Rome, Italy, 8-13 October 1962

Fourth

- Salzburg, Austria, 26-31 October 1964

Fifth

- Seville, Spain, 5-11 October 1966

Sixth

- St. Julian's, Malta, 28-31 October 1968

Seventh

- Budapest, Hungary, 21-25 September 1970

Eighth

- Munich, Germany, Fed. Rep. of, 18-23 September 1972

Ninth

- Lausanne, Switzerland, 7-12 October 1974

Tenth

- Bucharest, Romania, 20-25 September 1976

Eleventh

- Lisbon, Portugal, 2-7 October 1978

Twelfth

- Athens, Greece, 22-27 September 1980

Thirteenth

- Sofia, Bulgaria, 4-8 October 1982

Fourteenth

- Reykjavik, Iceland, 17-21 September 1984

Fifteenth

- Istanbul, Turkey, 28 April-2 May 1986

Sixteenth

- Cracow, Poland, 23-26 August 1988

Seventeenth

- Venice, Italy, 3-7 April 1990

Eighteenth

- Prague, Czechoslovakia, 24-28 August 1992

Nineteenth

- Killarney, Ireland, 6-10 June 1994

Twentieth

- Tel Aviv, Israel, 29 April-3 May 1996

Twenty-first

- Tallinn, Estonia, 25-29 May 1998

Twenty-second

- Porto, Portugal, 24-28 July 2000