HUNGARIAN CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE

1. HUNGARIAN CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE The Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture

2. Foundation of the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture To decrease the economic role of the state the Hungarian Parliament adopted the Act XVI of 1994 on economic chambers. According to this legislation the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture was founded on 20 December 1994 as a national public body performing public duties and having a legal person status. The Parliament adopted a new act on economic chambers on the 21st of December of 1999 under No. CXXI. According to the provisions of this law the agricultural chambers were renewed in 2000.

3. Members of the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture • The Budapest and territorial chambers are the members of the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture. The 20 territorial chambers are also public bodies. Their members are the economic organisations with agricultural, forestry, fishery and hunting activity on voluntary basis including the related processing, trading and servicing activities, as well. • Nowadays the agricultural chambers have 11 000 voluntary members of which: one third is primary producer, one third is individual farmer and one third is economic organisation with legal entity. • The members represent 60 %  of the total agricultural output.

4. The corporate bodies of the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture • General Assembly (10 delegates from each territorial chamber, all together 200 persons) • Presidium (24 members) • Supervisory Committee (5 members) • Ethical Committee (20 members) • Arbitration Court Organisational structure of agricultural chambers

5. The duties of the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture • Takes part in the work of the National Council of Professional Training • In co-operation with the territorial chambers controls the practical training places • Co-ordinates the tasks related to the master examination and certificates • Keeps contact with the foreign agricultural chambers and international organisations • Develops the system of the member registration, • Prepares the rules related to the fair market behaviour • Organises exhibitions and fairs, • Develops the general rules of delivering and verification of certificates of origin and other documents necessary for trade • Represents its members in the state financial funds • Reports on the agricultural legislation and programme documents of the government and initiates amendments according to the rules of the law.

6. What does the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture?

7. Advisory and information activities in Hungary in the frame of the Chambers of Agriculture • Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture: Free information given to the farmers about the CAP, the direct payments and about the subsidy possibilities in the framework of the New Hungarian Rural Development Program. • The Territorial Chambers of Agriculture: They are running the Territorial Advisory Centres, they give advise to the farmers based on the Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 Article 24. • Meet the requirements of cross-compliance, • occupational safety standards based on Community legislation • help farmers and forest holders to improve the overall performance of their holding

8. The Action Groups of the Farm Information Service • A) Overall regulatory knowledge given to the farmers (subsidies, institutional requirements) • B) To draw the attention of the farmers: how to apply and what kind of requirements have to be met by the farmers when they apply for subsidies. • C) Other know-how (e.g. technological know-how)

9. The Organisationof the Central Professional Coordination Office: • Central Coordination Office (7 person) • Territorial coordinators (20 person) • Net of the Advisors for information actions(202 person) • Territorial offices (200 offices) • Equipment of the offices: • laptop ( with broad band internet) • Copy machine • Printer • 19” LCD monitor • Mobil telephone • IP telephone

10. What do the Territorial Chambers of Agriculture?

11. Advisory System within the Territorial Chambers of Agriculture • In Hungary there are 200 Territorial Advisory Offices. • There are 20 Territorial Advisory Centres run by the territorial chambers of agriculture The advisors of the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture are not allowed to take part in the work of these centres. • The work done by the centres varies: • Making the fertilization plan, the animal feed plan, taking of soil samples. • measuring the plots with GPS, • plant protection plan, documentation, • book-keeping and tax advisory services • applying for tenders • These services have a charge.

12. Cooperation Possibilities

13. Cooperation Possibilities among the Chambers of Agricultures (Information, CC) • The realisation of cross compliance in the MS where it was applied before 2009 • To evaluate the most common problems, and the preparation method of the new member states. • The study of the methodology of the information of the farmers • The preparation of the Check List of the requirements of Cross Compliance • Experience exchange of the electronicalapplications.

14. Cooperation Possibilities among the Chambers of Agricultures (Advisors) • The practice of getting the farmers into the advisory system • The mutual study of the advisory work • The practice of the personal CC advise in the old member states • Advise given in electronic form

15. The Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture is member of the following more important national bodies: • National Jury of Quality Award • National Council of Standards • National Council of Regional Development • Committee for  the Development of Trade and Economy • Hungarian Accreditation Committee • Jury of Biological Funds • National Council of Accreditation • National Council of Statistics • National Council for Game Management • National Council of  Vocational Training • EU Integration Council • Council of Agri-Economy • Council of Hungarian Economy …

16. Public relations of the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture 

21. Hungarian agricultural advisory system

22. Farm Information Service in the Central Professional Coordination Office

23. Contents Advisory system before FAS Setting up and the structure of FAS Advisory and information activities in Hungary in the framework of the Chambers of Agriculture The Action Groups of the Farm Information Service

24. Advisory system before FAS • State-supported agricultural advisory activity was regulated only • Legal regulation on the List of Advisors • Legal regulation on subsidizing the advisory services • Structure of the advisory system • National Advisory Centre • Regional Advisory Centres (7) • Professional Centres (23 research institutes) • Service providers (mostly private enterpreneurs, some research or educational institutes, few companies employing registered advisors) • Ways of providing advice (one-to-one on farm, group-advisory service, demonstration on farm)

25. Setting up FAS • Principles • Observing EU regulations • Relying on the existing advisory system as much as possible • A smooth and cost effective transition • Involve stakeholders in the process of setting up FAS • Steps of setting up FAS (2005 – 2007) • Discussion groups (experts from MARD, National and Regional Advisory Centres) • Legal regulation on the structure and functioning of FAS • Selecting advisory bodies (Territorial Advisory Centres) • Legal regulation on supporting farmers that use advisory services (28th June 2007)

26. Structureof FAS Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development HCA National Advisory Centre Agricultural and Rural Development Authority Professional Centres (research institutes) Regional Advisory Centres (7) Territorial Advisory Centres (service providers) Registered advisors Farmers and forestholders

27. Territorial Advisory Centres 83 organisations were selected via tender Main criteria: • professional experience and advisory activity referencies • no commercial interest • its advisory services covers all SMRs, GAEC and work safety in agriculture • possess the infrastructure necessary for advisory activity • operates advisory office(s) • providing advice to farmers via r registered advisors only Types of selected organisations • educational institutes • county units of agricultural chamber • research institutes • advisory companies • professional associations • and consortiums of all the above

28. Advisory and information activities in Hungary in the framework of the Chambers of Agriculture Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture: Free information is provided for the farmers about the CAP, the direct payments and about the subsidy possibilities in the framework of the New Hungarian Rural Development Program. The Territorial Chambers of Agriculture: They are running the Territorial Advisory Centres, they give advise to the farmers based on the Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 Article 24. How to meet the requirements of cross-compliance, occupational safety standards based on Community legislation help farmers and forest holders to improve the overall performance of their holding

29. What are the tasks of the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture?

30. Farm Information Service intheCentral Professional Coordination Office

31. The Action Groups of the Farm Information Service Overall regulatory knowledge provided for the farmers (subsidies, official requirements) To draw the attention of the farmers to how to apply for subsidies, what kind of requirements have to be met by the them when applying Other know-how transfer (e.g. technological know-how)

32. Regulation know-how with the following content • Valid CAP measures (subsidies and other know-how) already announced • Mainly: • Single Area Payment Scheme and the directly connected area-based, supplementary national subsidies (Top-up) and the know-how of the electrical submission of requests, • Supplementary national subsidy based on the number of animals, • Direct subsidies allocated on historical base, • Non-economic information about the requirements of the Cross Compliance,

33. Regulation know-how with the following content • General, non-economic information about the requirements of the EU subsidies (simultaneously financed from different sources), • Rural development aimed, area and a number of animal based subsidies financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, in consideration of the agri-environmental measures, • Modernisationof agricultural holdings, • Use of advisory services, • Aforestationof agricultural land

34. The main elements of the measures • The aim of the measure, the conditions of involvement, (eligibility and selection criteria, requirements) • The base of the subsidy and it’s measure, • Misappropriation of the condition measures and it’s legal consequences, • Certain issue of the process connected to the measure and it’s prospective timeschedule (the requirements of the beneficiaries control, monitoring etc.)

35. Guidance and information provided in regard the participation • Information on: • the timetable, deadline related to the measures, • the deadlines of the related commitments, the commitment features, and the content, • the difficulties and failures regarding to the participation process of the measure, methods dealing with the difficultiesof interpretation, • methodsdealing with frequently arising failures, • further, detailed, specific knowledge, • general information on the ongoing process!

36. Providingfree information materialon the regulations (common- and national law, formerly announced drafts), communiqué/publications by the governing authority and by the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority. Managing the prints Providing free prints and electrical access for the filling in Providing free guidelines, explanation, and assistance for the filling in Furtherknow-how transfer: Relating to the agricultural production, financing, marketing, diversification, research and innovation Guidance and information provided in regard the participation

37. Forms of realization Information provided in a unique customer service: • The Customer Service Office provides free of charge advise in 16 hours a week; • Additional affiliated customer services are provided at • the local government; • at the farms; • as information session for a group. • Economic-specific advising does not belong to the scope of the duties (as advise about specific pest control, or soil planning in the frame of Nitrate regulation etc. – Territorial Advisory Centres)

38. Forms of realization • Information materials: • Information materials i.a.: booklets, specific brochures, publications, are made available at the Customer Service Offices • Active information activities: • Broad coverage through electrical and printed media, in all forms (daily, weekly, monthly, professional papers, television, and radio) • Operating and updating the thematic web sites: • www.agrarkamara.hu • www.umvp.agrarkamara.hu

39. The Organisation of the Central Professional Coordination Office Central Coordination Office (7 person) Territorial coordinators (20 person) Net of the Advisors for information actions (202 person) Territorial offices (200 offices) Equipment of the offices: laptop ( with broad band internet) Copy machine Printer 19” LCD monitor Mobil telephone IP telephone

40. The tasks of the Territorial Chambers of Agriculture

41. Advisory System within the Territorial Chambers of Agriculture There are 83 Territorial Advisory Centresin Hungary. There are 20 Territorial Advisory Centres run by the Territorial Chambers of Agriculture The advisors of the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture are not allowed to take part in the work of these centres. The work done by the centres varies: Making the fertilization plan, the animal feed plan, taking soil samples. measuring the plots with GPS, plant protection plan, documentation, book-keeping and tax advisory services applying for tenders These services have a charge.

42. Territorial Offices of the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture Source: googlemap

43. Call-Center Service Advising through blue number (local access number) Free measure-specific information via e-mail

44. COPA-COGECA COPA-COGECA: „The united voice of farmers and their co-operatives in the European Union” Defending and developing the European Model of Agriculture

45. COPA-COGECA 1. What is COPA-COGECA?

46. COPA-COGECA COPA = Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations in the European Union COGECA = General Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives in the European Union

47. What is COPA-COGECA ? … 47 years of experience 1958 Creation of COPA 1959 Creation of COGECA 1962 Joint Secretariat

48. What is COPA-COGECA ? … two strong organisations • COPA-COGECA represents 15 million people working on EU farm holdings either full-time or part-time • and more than 40,000 cooperatives • one of the biggest and most active interestrepresentations in Brussels

49. What is COPA-COGECA ? … two strong organisations COGECA, now called the “General Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives in the European Union”, currently represents the general and specific interests of some 40,000 farmers’ cooperatives employing some 660,000 people and with a global annual turnover in excess of three hundred billion euros throughout the enlarged Europe.

50. COPA-COGECA COPA: European agricultural union The Treaty of Rome establishing the European Economic Community signed on 25 March 1957 already contained the most important framework provisions of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The relationship between the Community authorities and the representatives of the agricultural sector was left open by the Treaty, but the Commission expressed its desire for close cooperation at an early stage and invited representatives of agricultural organisations to attend the 1958 Stresa Conference as observers. Farmers themselves were convinced of the importance of the Community for their sector, and on 6 September 1958, the first European representative organisation, COPA, was created. One year later, on 24 September 1959, the agricultural cooperatives of the European Community created their European umbrella organisation, COGECA (General Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives). COPA’s Secretariat was established in Brussels on 1 April 1959, merging with that of COGECA on 1 December 1962.