NAT Commission set to debate future of Europe's organic food sector
How to support Europe's flourishing organic sector will be debated during the Committee of the Regions' (CoR) Commission for Natural Resources (NAT) on 3 October. The EU's organic market is a growth sector: in 2011 it was worth € 19.7bn and is forecast increase annually by some 9%. To support the expansion of the market the European Commission is proposing to introduce new regulation that seeks to maintain consumer and producer confidence, whilst making it easier for Europe's farmers to invest in organics.
Willemien Hester Maij (NL/EPP), who is leading the CoRs' opinion on the topic, supports the Commission´s aim for sustainable growth of organic food and farming throughout Europe and acknowledges the need to further develop the regulation based on organic principles. Nevertheless, the rapporteur is concerned that the proposal could lead to a decline of organic production in Europe. The member of the Executive Council of the Province of Overijssel calls for the organic legal framework to be based on organic principles and a regulation that supports the development of the sector. Maij stresses the need to commit more budget to support the transition and laments that the proposal ignores the local and regional aspect of organic farming.
Improving health care in the EU
The NAT Commission will also consider Commission plans to exploit technology - such as mobile phone applications - to allow citizens to better manage their own health. With nearly 100,000 mHealth applications already on the market, the Commission suggests that by 2017 they could save as much as €99bn in healthcare costs across the EU. Martin Andreasson (SV/EPP), Councillor of Västra Götaland, will present his draft opinion reiterating the impact and potential for local and regional authorities. He argues that mHealth should emphasise innovation, job creation and improve the quality of public health care services. He also raises pertinent questions on how best to protect citizens' data privacy.
How to improve the "effectiveness, accessibility and resilience" of Member States' healthcare systems will also be the focus of Karsten Uno Petersen's (DK/PES) draft opinion. He points out that all local and regional authorities face the same challenges in delivering quality health care at a time when costs are rising and Europe's workforce is ageing. Welcoming the Commission's emphasis on the sharing of knowledge and experience, the Member of South Denmark Regional Council stresses the importance of addressing the issue nationally, regionally and locally.
Seeing the potential of Europe's oceans
Adam Banaszak (PL/ECR), Member of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Regional Assembly, will present his draft opinion on innovation in the Blue Economy. The EU has long acknowledged the benefits of the marine and maritime sector and recognises its potential for further economic growth. The Commission is proposing to digitally map Europe's seabed by 2020, further develop marine knowledge and data availability, and launch a Blue Economy Business and Science Forum alongside measures to secure highly skilled workforce. Banaszak recognises the benefits that Blue Growth offers for local economies but it must be balanced with environmental protection. With 90% of the sector consisting of micro-businesses, he calls for all new information to be made available at a regional level so they can benefit both the public and private sectors. Entrepreneurship and innovation, he argues, should be the focus of the plans.
All four opinions will be presented for formal adoption at the Committee of the Regions' plenary in December.
The NAT Commission will meet in Brussels on 3 October at the Committee of the Regions, Rue Belliard 101, Room JDE 52 from 11am-6pm. The agenda and all working documents are available online.