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EU Organisations

European Liason Comitee for the Agricultural and Agri-Food Trade (CELCAA)

Introduction

CELCAA aims to defend the particular interest of agri-produce traders within the food chain to clarify their role and ensure their commercial function. Societal issues like sustainability, food safety and animal welfare are common policy issues. These societal challenges require further deliberation between the different parts of the civil society. Consequently, CELCAA engaged pro-actively in establishing and collaborating in networks intended to foster the dialogue on issues related to plant protection, food safety and sustainability.

Structure, key stakeholders and partners

CELCAA is an international non-profit organization founded in 1980 by European product specific trade associations that are involved in retail and wholesale of agricultural and agri-food products. Its full and affiliated members include European sections of international associations, European associations and national associations, cooperative, private companies having an interest in agriculture and agri-produce trade at EU level. Among its members, the UECBV (European Livestock And Meat Trading Union)1 was appointed as rapporteur on RD policies.

Priorities and activities

CELCAA updates members on the latest legislative and technical developments on various policy issues affecting agri-produce trade both at EU and international levels. CELCAA defends the commercial function of agri-produce traders within the food supply chain and aims at facilitating agri-produce trade in Europe and beyond.

CELCAA also works as a networking platform for its members to exchange information and expertise and helps identifying the right interlocutors in the sector and in European Institutions.

The organisation ensures the advocacy of agricultural and agri-food traders by its presence in various consultative groups of the European institutions. A network of different platforms and round tables has been built up to communicate and share views with other interest groups of the food chain and the civil society in particular through its active involvement in the following working groups and platforms: Advisory Groups of DG AGRI, Advisory Group of the Food chain, Animal and Plant Health of DG SANCO, EFSA Stakeholder Consultative Platform, Market Access Advisory Committee and Civil Society Dialogue meetings of DG TRADE, DG TAXUD Trade Contact Group, Forum on the Better functioning of the food supply chain of DG ENTREPRISE and the Food Sustainable Consumption and Production Round Table co-chaired by business associations and various DGs of the Commission.

Further information

1 UECBV is part of the EU Advisory Group on Rural Development (AGRD) & rural Coalition of Europe.