The European Commission has officially established the European Agriculture and Food Council (EBAF), fulfilling a key recommendation of the strategic dialogue on the future of agriculture. Chaired by Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen , the EBAF aims to support a new culture of dialogue, trust and multi-stakeholder, high-level participation between actors in the food chain and civil society, as well as with the Commission. The first meeting will take place on 4 February.

The call for applications to form the Ebaf membership has been completed and the candidates have been selected. The Council will be composed of 30 member organisations representing three categories of stakeholders: the farming community, other actors in the food supply chain and civil society, including areas such as environment and climate, animal welfare and consumer issues. The group has been designed to ensure a balanced representation of these three categories. The selected organisations have demonstrated the broadest expertise and relevant expertise in agriculture and food at Union level, as well as broad geographical representativity across Member States. The full list is now available in the Register.

The main tasks of the Ebaf include providing high-level advice to the Commission on strategic policy developments related to the Vision for Agriculture and Food, as well as following up on the report on the strategic dialogue on the future of EU agriculture. The body will also aim to promote dialogue and facilitate the exchange of experiences among its members, with a particular focus on ensuring coherence and synergy between Union policies and their alignment with private sector initiatives. Furthermore, the group will assist the Commission in the preparation of policy initiatives in these areas and offer opinions on specific issues upon request, respecting the deadlines set for such contributions.