Growing the Future:
Sustainable Agriculture in Europe

This event, co-organised together with ZPP - Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers, will focus on the evolving landscape of the EU's agrifood policies, with a particular emphasis on sustainability, food security, and the role of innovation. As Europe faces environmental and geopolitical challenges, the event will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, and experts to discuss the future of sustainable farming across the EU.

Key topics will include balancing productivity with environmental goals, adapting agriculture to climate change, and integrating technological innovations like precision farming and AI-driven tools to improve sustainability. Discussions will also cover the EU's climate targets, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the financial mechanisms needed to support the transition to greener farming practices.

In light of climate change and geopolitical tensions, securing a stable food supply remains a priority. We aim to explore strategies for strengthening supply chains, diversifying import sources, and enhancing domestic production capacity. The event will offer insights into the challenges and opportunities for Europe's agrifood sector as it adapts to a rapidly changing global landscape as well as discuss adaptation strategies, and explore policies that can safeguard long-term food production.
  • Welcome

    Paul Rübig

    President of SME Connect
    Member of the European Economic and Social Committee
    Member of the European Parliament 1996-2019

  • Opening

    Herbert Dorfmann MEP

    Member of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

    Carmen Crespo Diaz MEP

    Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

  • Strategic Perspectives

    Gijs Schilthuis

    Deputy Director-General, in charge of Directorates B, C, and D, Sustainability (AGRI.B), European Commission

    Christian Holzleitner

    Head of Unit, Land Economy and Carbon Removals, DG CLIMA, European Commission

  • INTERVENTIONS

    Anna Borys

    Senior Director of Government Relations Europe at McDonald’s

    Hugo Jansen

    Sustainability Director at Cargill

    Marcin Sokołowski

    Quality Assurance & Sustainability Raw Material Manager, OSI Food Solutions Poland

    Seyide Direk

    Policy Analyst at the European Enterprise Alliance (EEA)

    Jakub Binkowski

    Board Member at Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers (ZPP)

  • CLOSING REMARKS

    Horst Heitz

    Chair of the Steering Committee of SME Connect

  • MODERATION

    Agata Boutanos

    Director of Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers Brussels Office