Invitation to AREFLH public conference

5-2-2026

As part of its General Assembly, AREFLH (Assembly of European Horticultural Regions) is pleased to invite you to a hybrid public conference to be held in Almería, Spain, and online on 17 March at 3 p.m (Spanish time).

The speakers will address two topics:

•    The future of sectoral aid in the next CAP. 

•    Artificial intelligence and digitalisation 

All speeches will be translated into French, English, Italian and Spanish.

 

Time schedule public conference 

(open to all, in Almeria and online) 

15.00: Opening speech by Ramon Fernandez Pacheco, Agriculture Minister of Andalusia Region and AREFLH President 

15.20: Round table: The future of sectoral aid in the next CAP. Debate between AREFLH and members of the European Institutions (EU Parliament and Commission) 

16.45: Coffee break 

17.00: Artificial Intelligence and digitalisation: when technology meets the field 

18.00: End of the public conference

 

Registration

You can register by following this link:

https://eu-submit.jotform.com/253372110680348

 

ABOUT AREFLH:
What is AREFLH and what does it do?

Most readers of EFM will have seen the abbreviation AREFLH before, but may not know exactly what this organization does. Here is some explanation:

The AREFLH (Assembly of European Horticultural Regions) is a European network of regions that are actively involved in the fruit, vegetable and ornamental horticulture sectors. AREFLH brings together more than 40 European regions (and regional organisations) from countries such as France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany and several Eastern European Member States.

It is not a growers’ association, but a platform of regional authorities and public bodies representing horticulture at EU level.

 

What does AREFLH do?

The AREFLH represents its member regions at the European Commission and European Parliament in Brussels, facilitates knowledge exchange between member organizations, and initiates and supports EU projects (e.g., Interreg and Horizon).

 

Advocacy in Brussels

Advocacy mainly concerns the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the EU fruit and vegetable CMO and topics like sustainability, crop protection and climate policy

 

Exchange of knowledge and experience

Facilitating cooperation between regions on topics such as:

•    fruit and vegetable production

•    innovation and digitalisation

•    labour, training and generational renewal

•    water management and climate adaptation

 

Projects and pilot initiatives

AREFLH initiates and supports EU projects related to:

•    sustainable production systems

•    marketing and promotion of EU horticultural products

•    resilience of the horticultural sector

 

Relevance of AREFLH for the fruit sector

AREFLH often acts as a bridge between horticultural practice and EU policymaking. Positions on issues such as:

•    reduction of plant protection products

•    crisis management tools in the fruit and vegetable market

•    support schemes for producer organisations

are regularly channelled to EU decision-makers through AREFLH.

Among other things, AREFLH also organises the annual pear conference Interpera.

(The information about what AREFLH is and does was compiled with the help of ChatGPT)