On Monday November 15, in Brussels, Kaspars Gerhards, the Minister for Agriculture, participated in signing of the declaration, honoring the fifth anniversary of BIOEAST initiative. The joint declaration of the Ministers for Agriculture was signed in Brussels during the meeting of the EU Ministers for Agriculture and Fisheries by the Ministers for Agriculture from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Slovenia and Visegrad States.
In the period of existence of BIOEAST initiative, BIOEAST States have developed a closer cooperation and the European Commission has acknowledged significance of this initiative. The declaration, signed in Brussels by Ministers of BIOEAST States, emphasizes the need to facilitate policy- and research-oriented thematic working groups in such areas as agri-ecology, food systems, forestry value chains, progressive chemical substances and materials of organic origin, bioenergy as well as education and skills. Signatories to the declaration are calling on the EU institutions to continue supporting BIOEAST initiative as a strategic network to achieve the European Green Deal objectives and they emphasize the necessity to implement measures better integrating bioeconomy into educational, research, innovation and regional development programs and strategy plans of the Common Agricultural Policy.
BIOEAST States, in their declaration, are addressing the leading Ministries of all the States to contribute to State level programs of bioeconomy to attract more stakeholders of the national level in immobilization of resources, knowledge and abilities and to ensure a smooth, fair and inclusive transition to a sustainable future and to maintain our planet healthy for next generations.