The aim of the conference is to raise awareness about how financial instruments can help deliver the objectives of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), especially in the fields of agriculture and agri-business.
European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Mr Phil Hogan will open the conference together with Mr Pim van Ballekom, Vice-President, European Investment Bank and Mr Pier Luigi Gilibert, Chief Executive, European Investment Fund. Further high-level statements are expected from Mr Jyrki Katainen, European Commission's Vice-President for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness.
The conference will:
- Outline the major EU rural development policy objectives in relation to use and implementation of financial instruments under the EAFRD;
- Stimulate exchange and discussion on advantages, features, and the general suitability of financial instruments in delivering rural development programme (RDP) objectives;
- Inform stakeholders about the fi-compass advisory platform support to Member States and managing authorities and on the further support available from cooperation between the European Commission and European Investment Bank Group for agriculture and rural development.
The target audience for this seminar are:
- EAFRD managing authorities;
- Financial institutions directly involved in the design, implementation and promotion of financial instruments established under the RDPs as well as their associations;
- Farm unions;
- Forestry associations;
- Business angels, business associations having rural entrepreneurs as their members;
- Agricultural and rural development representatives of EU member states and regions in Brussels.
Also welcome will be:
- Local or (macro-)regionally operating bodies implementing or considering implementing fund of funds;
- Financial intermediaries such as banks or specialised agencies;
- Capital investors;
- Representatives of Local Action Groups and, if capacity allows:
- Final recipients and other actors supporting financial instruments implementation.
The conference will build on the success of the first annual conference in Dublin as well as further events dedicated to financial instruments under the EAFRD in Vienna, Riga, Madrid, Rome and Warsaw.
The detailed programme of the conference is available here.
Language
The main language of the event will be English; interpretation from and into all the EU official languages will be provided.
Registrations
Registration is open for the event on the fi-compass website and the deadline for online registrations is Friday, 18 November 2016.