EuReFarm

DISCLAIMER
FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION. VIEWS AND OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE HOWEVER THOSE OF THE
AUTHOR(S) ONLY AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THOSE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION OR EUROPEAN
EDUCATION AND CULTURE EXECUTIVE AGENCY (EACEA). NEITHER THE EUROPEAN UNION NOR THE
GRANTING AUTHORITY CAN BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM.

Europe’s Farmers: Resilience Throughout the COVID Pandemic
EuReFarm

The general objective of the project was to foster collaboration between farmers, public institutions, NGOs, and academics to propose and disseminate innovative solutions for tackling the pandemics impact. The six EuReFarm partners from Romania, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Croatia, exchanged innovative approaches between countries to share best practices across the whole agricultural sector.
The event aimed to bring together citizens and decision makers at local and national levels to exchange and share their experiences and results on all aspects of the pandemics impact on food and agriculture sector. It also provided an interdisciplinary platform for policy makers, citizens and civil society representatives to present and discuss the most recent measures and concerns as well as practical challenges encountered and solutions adopted in the field.
With the support of partner civil society organisations and partner local authorities, the event enabled citizens to exchange views and make proposals across borders on the most important topics of the year 2020-2021: the COVID-19 crisis and its social, economic and health related consequences. By voicing their ideas on what the EU level of governance does, should do or should not do, participants in the project embodied the spirit of European democracy. The event allowed citizens to become more familiar with the European Union — what it is, what it does, how it works — and to reflect on its history, culture and values.
The citizen’s meeting was held in Romania, Comuna Capalnita between 3-5th February 2023.
The major aim of the event was the active involvement of EU citizens in setting up a common response to multiple challenges and articulate a new vision of the future, and thereby restore the public faith in the European project. Event topics were designed so as to increase awareness about the EU's common policies, the values and rights of EU citizens created by it, and to develop knowledge about the opportunities offered by the EU, encouraging their citizens to participate in the democratic life of the EU. The event’s program was established together by the partners, in cooperation with volunteers and NGOs from partner localities. Being the developer and the host of the event, KGE had the following tasks: coordinating logistics, organizing and implementing the event in compliance with the proposed program.
Day 1 programme – 3th of February 2023:
Discussion, debate on:
• "The Current Political and Economic Context - The opening event - discussions about the ongoing economic
difficulties”
• "Simultaneous Challenges"- debate about the pandemics, economic pressures and european food security
concerns
• "Possible future scenarios for the EU"
• "Civil Society and the Non-Europe Debate" - Given the problems facing Europe, three critical issues were
debated:
the need to build a common identity
the need to increase inclusion in Europe
the need to include all people in the decision-making process
Day 2 programme – 4th of February 2023:
Debates on:
• "Citizen Participation in the Political Life of the EU" - regarding ways for farmers to promote their goals at the
EU level - There were themes on:
European issues which needs to be transnational and multicultural
interactions with decision-makers which need to be targeted at legislative change
• "Solidarity in Times of Crisis" - or adapt to the needs of the citizens and provide support in new areas, while
redefining their priorities of action
• Social Enterprises in the EU - addressing key social problems for the most marginalized groups in society
Day 3 programme – 5th of February 2023:
Workshop:
• Citizens’ Rights
• Mechanisms available for EU citizens in participation on the EU decision making process