eForesee Istanbul Conference

Towards a European Model of Agriculture in the EU25+

The imminent reform of the CAP, WTO positioning on trade in agricultural produce, the reform of structural funds and the accession of 10 new members states means that European agriculture and rural communities in Europe will be transformed over the next 10 years. Entering a period of radical change there is a need for:

• Reflection on policy development processes,
• Renewal of awareness and debate on policy options,
• Greater involvement of stakeholders as the ultimate agents of change.

Foresight - both classical foresight that focuses on 'policy as product' and structural foresight that focuses on 'policy as process' can play an important role in meeting these needs. Ultimately foresight exercises should help in the development of a:

• Shared vision for a European Model of Agriculture - EMA, a
• Shared vision of how RTD & Innovation can contribute to the EMA, and
• Alignment between policy for the ERA and policy for the EMA in EU25+.

This working group meeting is part of a series of 'Foresight Threads' organised by the STRATA funded 'e-Foresee' project. Meetings have been held in Nicosia, Ioannina, Riga and now in Istanbul. Each meeting builds upon the results of previous meetings to systematically develop a deeper understanding of issues related to the development of a European Model of Agriculture that accommodates the complexity of the new Europe. Previous meetings adopted the 'classroom' format and all presentations from these meetings are available on-line at www.eforesee.info. The Istanbul meeting is based on facilitated expert working groups that develop themes that have emerged to date:

• Abandonment - causes, consequences, challenges and policy options,
• Biotechnology - potential contribution to the European Model of Agriculture,
• Multi-functionality - meaning and consequences for payment schemes.