Samtök evópskra landbúnaðarsamvinnufélaga (Cogeca) voru stofnuð 1959 og samanstanda nú af landssamtökum slíkra félaga frá 26 af 27 aðildarríkjum ESB. Innan þeirra eru 22.000 samvinnufélög sem veita yfir 650.000 manns vinnu og velta ríflega 300 milljörðum evra á ári.
Samtökin hafa frá 1962 starfað náið með samtökum evrópskra bænda (COPA) og er vefsíða þeirra m.a. sameiginleg. Í liðinni viku hélt Cogeca ráðstefnu um starf samvinnufélaga á sviði sjálfbærni og hvernig því yrði betur komið á framfæri við neytendur.
Í tilkynningu eftir ráðstefnuna segir meðal annars: The forum, which gathered policy experts and agri-cooperative representatives from across the EU in two roundtables, focused on the effect environmental social and governance (ESG) communication and sustainability labelling under the Sustainable Food System initiative will have on agri-cooperatives, ways in which this can result in added value for agri-cooperatives, and the importance of marketing and communication in raising greater awareness of the contributions agri-cooperatives make to sustainability across Europe.
Christian Høegh-Andersen, Coordinator of the Business Forum and Cogeca Vice-President opened the forum by underlining, “It is clear to us that agri-cooperatives have a competitive advantage over other business forms with regard to sustainability. Therefore, we should look at what the best means are for ensuring consumers are informed of this, and that our agricooperatives can gain added value, visibility, and recognition”