Speaking in Brussels after the meeting, Copa & Cogeca Secretary General Pekka Pesonen said: “The main objective of the AAC is to ensure the sustainable development of the EU aquaculture sector. Copa and Cogeca, together with over 50 members from across the EU who are involved in the different branches of aquaculture production, including the animal feed, processing and services sectors, consumer groups and other interest groups, will provide input for the AAC recommendations which will be submitted to the EU institutions, Member States and other stakeholders for their consideration."
The AAC started operating officially in May when the first General Assembly took place. It has three Working Groups on Fish, Shellfish and General Issues, and Copa & Cogeca will be represented in the Working Groups, the Executive Committee and the General Assembly.
The representatives of Copa and Cogeca in the Executive Committee are the Vice-Chairmen of Copa and Cogeca’s Working Party on Fish, Mr Pier Antonio Salvador from the Italian organisation Confagricoltura API, and Mr Bernhard Feneis from the German Farm Organisation DBV.
At their meeting this month, the Executive Committee, which is responsible for the management and governance of the AAC, met to approve the budget, which will be adopted at the second General Assembly in Paris in December.
Mr Pesonen underlined the need to further develop the sector since the EU is still not self-sufficient.
“The AAC will also keep the call for applications for membership open and all relevant European and national organisations are welcome to apply. Member States are also welcome to help out with a fee or other forms of assistance,” Mr Pesonen said.
