Freshfel Europe

Last updated

Freshfel Europe
Company type Advocacy group
Industry Fresh Produce
Founded2001 (2001)
Headquarters Brussels, Belgium
Website http://www.freshfel.org

Freshfel Europe, the European Fresh Produce Association, is the forum for the fresh fruit and vegetables supply chain in Europe and beyond and a non-profit association. [1] Its members and associated members are associations and companies that have an interest in the European fresh fruit and vegetable sector, including all segments of the supply chain such as production, trade, logistics and retailing. The association was created in 2001 on the roots of 40 years of experience of EUCOFEL (European Fruit and Vegetable Trade Association) and CIMO (Confederation of Importers of Overseas Fruits and Vegetables). The association is based in Brussels with registered Article of Association with the Belgian Ministry of Justice. [2] Besides its representation-/lobby-activities, summed up in an annual report, [3] Freshfel publishes once a year the “Consumption Monitor”, is the creator of the “Fresh Quality” website (a guide to EU fresh produce law) [4] and is the co-organiser of the fresh produce business conference “Fresh”, [5] a joint conference of Freshfel and the Eurofruit Magazine. [6]

Contents

Functions

Freshfel is a member-driven association, undertaking multiple representation and the coordination of tasks for the overall benefit of the fresh produce sector. Freshfel defends the interests of the sector on the European and international scene, and updates members on recent legislative and supply chain developments. Freshfel provides a networking platform for its members and facilitates contacts among representatives of the sector.

Freshfel's mission aims to: • improve the efficiency and competitiveness of the sector
• facilitate international fresh produce trade
• assist members to comply with the highest safety rules
• securing a favourable environment to promote the benefits of fresh produce
• positioning the sector in the new research and innovation policy
• stimulating the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables [3]

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Freshfel in Brussels, Belgium, was on 19 June 2012 and set the priorities for the upcoming months.

Membership

Freshfel Europe incorporates over 200 companies and national associations of producers, importers, shippers and exporters, distributors, wholesalers, retailers and their service providers such as logistics and reefer transportation, as well as seed companies and crop protection companies. Members and associated members are both from within the EU and in countries with an interest in the European fruit and vegetables market.

Structure

Freshfel Europe is structured around a Board which is enhanced by several Divisions and Committees with dedicated missions. The Board consists of the Association's President, vice-president and the Treasurer. Each of the Divisions (Import; Export; Production; Wholesale and Distribution, and Retail) and Committees (Food Safety and Sustainability; Promotion and Communication, Convenience, Bananas, and Citrus) is having one chairman and one vice-chairman. All Board members are elected for a mandate period of two years.

The Board was renewed by the 2012 AGM which took place in Brussels (Belgium) on 19 June 2012 for the 2012/2014 term of activities. Besides the Board assignments which are ad personam, Freshfel operates in an open manner, inviting all its members and associated members to attend the regular meetings organised by the Association on topical and emerging issues. [3]

Consumption Monitor

The ‘Consumption Monitor’ was developed by the Freshfel Working Group on Promotion, Communication and Image and analyses each year the trends in the production, trade and supply of fresh fruits and vegetables across the EU-27, as well as consumption information in Norway, Switzerland and the USA. [7] The study is part of the actions undertaken by Freshfel in the framework of the EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health.

Enjoy Fresh

Building on efforts to spread the word to ‘Enjoy Fresh’ and to enhance the image of fresh fruit and vegetables, Freshfel has conducted in the first half of 2011 a media campaign to highlight the value of fresh produce. [8] In the course of these activities the association has launched in February the so-called ‘Enjoy Fresh’ website. [9] It is the first pan-European website to highlight the positive features of fresh produce and tries to raise the awareness about the values and benefits fresh produce provides to consumers. The website provides information on the production and sustainability aspects of fruit and vegetables, on what is being done to ensure a 'quality' product, information on the nutrition and health benefits, statistical facts, and also tips on how to prepare / consume fresh produce. [10]

In continuing to build up the ‘Enjoy Fresh’ concept on a European level, Freshfel launched in the course of another media campaign in the first half of 2012 in June a public website designed for kids, parents and teachers, called ‘Kids Enjoy Fresh’. [11] It is supposed to bring fresh produce closer to kids and assist parents and teachers in this task. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common Agricultural Policy</span> Agricultural policy of the European Union

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is the agricultural policy of the European Commission. It implements a system of agricultural subsidies and other programmes. It was introduced in 1962 and has since then undergone several changes to reduce the EEC budget cost and consider rural development in its aims. It has however, been criticised on the grounds of its cost, its environmental, and humanitarian effects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brussels sprout</span> Vegetable

The Brussels sprout is a member of the Gemmifera cultivar group of cabbages, grown for its edible buds.

The European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises or SMEunited is an umbrella group for associations of SMEs based in Brussels, Belgium. SMEunited represents the interests of European crafts, trades and SMEs at EU level. Its 67 member organisations from 34 European countries consist of national cross-sectorial SME federations, European branch federations and other associate members. Its members combined represent more than 12 million enterprises, which employ around 50 million people across Europe. SMEunited is a recognised European Social Partner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agriculture in Senegal</span> Economic sector in Senegal

Agriculture is one of the dominant parts of Senegal's economy, even though Senegal lies within the drought-prone Sahel region. As only about 5% of the land is irrigated, Senegal continues to rely on rain-fed agriculture. Agriculture occupies about 75% of the workforce. Despite a relatively wide variety of agricultural production, the majority of farmers produce for subsistence needs. Millet, rice, corn, and sorghum are the primary food crops grown in Senegal. Production is subject to drought and threats of pests such as locusts, birds, fruit flies, and white flies. Moreover, the effects of climate change in Senegal are expected to severely harm the agricultural economy due to extreme weather such as drought, as well as increased temperatures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FERN</span>

Fern is a Dutch foundation created in 1995. It is an international Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) set up to keep track of the European Union's (EU) involvement in forests and coordinate NGO activities at the European level. Fern works to protect forests and the rights of people who depend on them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Friends of Europe</span>

Friends of Europe is a Brussels-based, not-for-profit think tank for European Union policy analysis and debate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agriculture in Benin</span>

Benin is predominantly a rural society, and agriculture in Benin supports more than 70% of the population. Agriculture contributes around 35% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and 80% of export income. While the Government of Benin (GOB) aims to diversify its agricultural production, Benin remains underdeveloped, and its economy is underpinned by subsistence agriculture. Approximately 93% of total agricultural production goes into food production. The proportion of the population living in poverty is about 35.2%, with more rural households in poverty (38.4%) than urban households (29.8%). 36% of households depend solely upon agricultural (crop) production for income, and another 30% depend on crop production, livestock, or fishing for income.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agriculture in Lebanon</span>

Agriculture in Lebanon is the third most productive sector in the country after the tertiary and industrial sectors. It contributes 3.1% of GDP and 8 percent of the effective labor force. The sector includes an informal Syrian labor and is dependent on foreign labor for its productivity. Main crops include cereals, fruits and vegetables, olives, grapes, and tobacco, along with sheep and goat herding. Mineral resources are limited and are only exploited for domestic consumption. Lebanon, which has a variety of agricultural lands, from the interior plateau of the Beqaa Valley to the narrow valleys leading downward to the sea, enables farmers to grow both European and tropical crops. Tobacco and figs are grown in the south, citrus fruits and bananas along the coast, olives in the north and around the Shouf Mountains, and fruits and vegetables in the Beqaa Valley. More exotic crops include avocados, grown near Byblos, and hashish. Although the country benefits from favorable farming conditions and diverse microclimates, it relies on food imports, which make up 80% of its consumption.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy in Belgium</span>

Energy in Belgium describes energy and electricity production, consumption and import in Belgium.

The World Apple and Pear Association (WAPA) is a trade association established in 2001 representing major apple and pear producing countries globally. The Association provides a forum for member discussion and reviews market information related to fruit trees. In 2007, world apple production reached 66 million tonnes while pear production amounted to 20.5 million tonnes. The secretariat of the association is located in Brussels.

Produce traceability makes it possible to track produce from its point of origin to a retail location where it is purchased by consumers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juice</span> Naturally-occurring liquid present in fruits and vegetables

Juice is a drink made from the extraction or pressing of the natural liquid contained in fruit and vegetables. It can also refer to liquids that are flavored with concentrate or other biological food sources, such as meat or seafood, such as clam juice. Juice is commonly consumed as a beverage or used as an ingredient or flavoring in foods or other beverages, such as smoothies. Juice emerged as a popular beverage choice after the development of pasteurization methods enabled its preservation without using fermentation. The largest fruit juice consumers are New Zealand and Colombia. Fruit juice consumption on average increases with a country's income level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agriculture in Moldova</span>

Moldova is an agrarian-industrial state, with agricultural land occupying 2,499,000 hectares in a total area of 3,384,600 hectares. It is estimated that 1,810,500 of these hectares are arable. Moldova is located in Eastern Europe, and is landlocked, bordering Romania and Ukraine. Moldova's agricultural sector benefits from a geographical proximity to large markets, namely the European Union. As a share of GDP, agriculture has declined from 56% in 1995 to 13.8% in 2013. Data from 2015 estimated that agriculture accounted for 12% of Moldova's GDP. Agriculture as a sector is export-oriented, with the composition of Moldova's total exports containing agriculture and the agri-food sector as a main component. 70% of agri-food exports in 2012 included beverages, edible fruits and nuts, oilseeds, vegetable preparations and cereals. Here, fruits, vegetables and nuts were attributed to 33% of Moldova's exports for 2011–2013. Moldova is also one of the top ten apple exporters in the world. However, because of the long-term emphasis on fruit, vegetables are often imported.

Friends of the Earth Europe (FoEE) is the European branch of the world's largest grassroots environmental network, Friends of the Earth International (FOEI). It includes 33 national organizations and thousands of local groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agriculture in Flanders</span>

Agriculture and horticulture in Flanders has traditionally a familial character, but just like agriculture in other regions, is increasingly characterised by an increase in scale, modernisation and expansion. In Flanders, intensive sectors constitute the largest segment of agriculture: pig breeding, poultry and dairy farming, vegetables and fruit, ornamental plant culture. In Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium, the emphasis is more on arable farming and extensive soil-based cattle breeding.

Eurogas is an association representing the European gas wholesale, retail and distribution sectors towards the EU institutions. The association aims to strengthen the role of gas in the energy mix by establishing an ongoing dialogue with European industry players, global gas producers and relevant institutions. Eurogas was founded in 1990, with its members currently including 44 companies and associations from 22 countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Olive Council</span> Intergovernmental organization

The International Olive Council (IOC) is an intergovernmental organization of states that produce olives or products derived from olives, such as olive oil.

COCERAL is a European association, representing the trade in cereals, rice, feedstuffs, oilseeds, olive oil, oils and fats and agrosupply.

Since 2011 the European Commission has assessed every 3 years a list of Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) for the EU economy within its Raw Materials Initiative. To date, 14 CRMs were identified in 2011, 20 in 2014, 27 in 2017 and 30 in 2020. These materials are mainly used in energy transition and digital technologies. Then in March 2023 Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed the Critical Raw Materials Act, "for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the European Council establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials". At the time, Europe depended on China for 98% of its rare-earth needs, 97% of its lithium supply and 93% of its magnesium supply.

Mercabarna is a food-trading estate that concentrates wholesale markets and Barcelona's abattoir, as well as a large area of complementary activities (ZAC), boasting some 450 fresh-food preparation, commercial, distribution, importing and exporting businesses. A total of 700 businesses are located within its 90-hectare site. It supplies over ten million people and is a benchmark market worldwide.

References

  1. "European Commission". Archived from the original on 11 October 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
  2. Article of Association (Belgian Ministry of Justice)
  3. 1 2 3 Freshfel Activity Report 2011-2012
  4. Fresh Quality Guide Website
  5. "Fresh 2012 Official Website". Archived from the original on 13 February 2010. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  6. Freshfel Homepage
  7. [ dead link ]
  8. [ dead link ]
  9. 'Enjoy Fresh' Homepage
  10. "Fruitnet website". Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  11. 'Kids Enjoy Fresh' Homepage
  12. ""EU: Freshfel launches "Kids Enjoy Fresh" site"". 22 June 2012.