If you register on the OPERA webpage you will have access to our public database on available documents dealing with the Framework Directive on Sustainable Use of Pesticides.
On March 2011 the New Statute of the Research Centre was approved by the University Senate. Since then OPERA has adopted a new name - European Observatory on Sustainable Agriculture - and additional broad scopes. Main scope of the Centre is to promote scientific research on agri-food sustainable practices. The main objectives of the Centre are:
A - analyzes the European legislation and interprets its evolution;
B - gives scientific support to the development of a sustainable approach in farming, food transforming and retailing;
C - spreads the good practices and the sustainability models;
D - uses potential of existing and new scientific research to advise policy stakeholders on concrete actions and management of rural areas;
E - expresses, as European think tank, its view and opinion on the policy;
F - acts as centre of excellence and coordination within the network of universities, research centres, think tanks, authorities, companies and individual experts of high scientific or professional qualification;
G - facilitates exchange of knowledge, information and experience between relevant actors in the agri-food sector.
The new statute is giving more transparency to the technical and scientific activities of the research center who covers broad aspects of the sustainability in agriculture and in the food chains.
SOStain
sustainable winegrowing program
Best Field Practice by
TOPPS project
IPM seen from the perspective of Sustainable Use Directive Objectives
In September 2011, OPERA published another recommendation related to the implementation of Directive for the sustainable Use of Pesticides (SUD).produced through the effort of a working group set up within OPERA, gathering experts from different fields of expertise.
OPERA, in this publication had as objective to present a holistic approach for IPM and to provide pragmatic recommendations for its implementation The document is now available and can be downloaded here.
Bee Health in Europe. Facts and Figures – Compendium on latest information on bee health in Europe
The focus of this document is to gather the latest information available on the factors influencing the health of both managed honeybees and populations of native wild bees, including solitary bees and bumble bees.
The document is now available and can be downloaded here.
Executive summary in all languages:
AR , BG , CS , DA , DE , EL , ES , ET , FI , FR , HR , HU , IT , IW ,
LT , LV , NL , NO , PL , PT , RO , RU , SK, SL , SR , SV , TR.
Bio purification systems-Why on-farm water management is important and how it can be achieved
OPERA published the paper ”On Farm Water Management and How can it be achieved Through Bio Purification Systems” in order to offer practical information on how to implement at farm level a simple system for reducing this potential risk of point sources contamination from the in-site area where the PPPs are disposed and handled.
Download the full document.
Agricultural Market Stabilization System – policy instruments to be included in the CAP
This policy recommendation paper developed with the contribution of renowned agricultural economists around Europe describes a policy approach to develop a system for the stabilization of the European agricultural markets.
The document is now available and can be downloaded here.
Cureg Forum XV Bratislava, Slovak Republic 6th-7th October 2011
The fifteenth CEUREG Forum was organized this year in Bratislava. The forum gathered representatives from the regulatory authorities of Central and Eastern European countries, the private sector as well as a representative of the European Commission, European Crop Protection Association and OPERA Research Center. The forum consisted of four sessions where different topics of high interest on the field of agriculture were discussed.
19th October 2011 - How much greening makes the CAP green?
5th Stakeholder Roundtable on CAP Reform -OPERA has the pleasure to present an open debate on the “greening” of the CAP, taking place in the European Parliament and hosted by: Giovanni La Via, MEP, and Carlo Fidanza, MEP. With the participation of: Paolo De Castro, MEP Chair of the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development, and Mairead McGuinness, MEP Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development.
Report of the event.
Click the links to download the Announcement of the event, OPERA Reflection Paper and Agenda for the event.
The Italian translation of the Reflection Paper is available here.
In Budapest the Plant Protection and Soil Conservation Directorate and OPERA Research Center co-organized the workshop entitled "Implementation of the Directive for the Sustainable Use of Pesticides in Hungary”. This stakeholder workshop gathered representatives from all the relevant stakeholders such as, the Hungarian Ministry of Rural Development, different associations, the private and the academic sector up to a number of 30 participants.
OPERA provide its registered members with a bimonthly newsletter. This sixth issue will introduce you to a new project OPERA is involved in, and will give you some background and outcomes of various conferences and workshops attended or partly organised by OPERA. If you have any comments or would like to share your point of view with us please email us info@opera-indicators.eu. Read the sixth issue
Please register to have full access to the list of leading articles, information, recommendations and studies compiled by OPERA.
As a result of the public debate, on 12 October 2011 the European Commission has published its plans to reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2013. This blueprint aims to strengthen the competitiveness and the sustainability of agriculture and maintain its presence in all regions, in order to guarantee European citizens healthy and quality food production, to preserve the environment and to help develop rural areas.
Land grabbing is the virtual land imported. The concept of international trade in virtual land is straightforward: any quantity traded is converted into the amount of land used in its production. In this context, the EU continues to be one of the world's most important agricultural net importers, and the same is true for imports of virtual agricultural land.
FAO, Rome, 24 October 2011-The Conference, organized in collaboration with Federalimentare represented an occasion to continue the dialogue between the private sector and the FAO, reinforced in 2009 with the Carta di Milano.