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agriculture and food economy in poland

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AGRICULTURAL CENTRAL AND LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS<br />

Agricultural Chambers<br />

Re-established on the basis of the Law of 1995 (with subsequent amendments),<br />

agricultural chambers have an over one hundred years' tradition <strong>in</strong> Pol<strong>and</strong>. It is a<br />

form of common agricultural self-government with a legal status. Members are<br />

obligatorily all agricultural tax payers <strong>and</strong> payers of <strong>in</strong>come tax on specific sectors of<br />

agricultural production as well as members of agricultural cooperatives that<br />

contribute l<strong>and</strong> to such cooperatives.<br />

Statutory bodies of agricultural chambers are elected <strong>in</strong> a democratic election,<br />

<strong>and</strong> the supreme body, e.g. the General Assembly - <strong>in</strong> a general election among<br />

farmers. Currently, there are 16 voivodship agricultural chambers <strong>in</strong> Pol<strong>and</strong>. Their<br />

activities are aimed at ensur<strong>in</strong>g effectiveness of agricultural production <strong>and</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g rural <strong>in</strong>habitants’ <strong>in</strong>comes <strong>and</strong> improv<strong>in</strong>g liv<strong>in</strong>g st<strong>and</strong>ards of the rural<br />

population.<br />

Such objectives are be<strong>in</strong>g pursued by consult<strong>in</strong>g regulations by law concern<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>agriculture</strong> <strong>and</strong> co-participat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> comprehensive activities to improve an economic<br />

<strong>and</strong> production situation.<br />

The representation of agricultural chambers at the national level is the National<br />

Council of Agricultural Chambers (KRIR) composed of Presidents of chambers <strong>and</strong><br />

delegates elected by the General Assembly, one delegate from each chamber. Both<br />

the National Council <strong>and</strong> particular chambers co-operate with their counterparts <strong>in</strong><br />

EU member states <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong> new EU member states. As a result of foreign cooperation<br />

established by agricultural chambers, tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> study missions are organised<br />

dur<strong>in</strong>g which exchange of <strong>in</strong>formation <strong>and</strong> experiences between agricultural selfgovernment<br />

of particular countries takes place. In particular KRIR has been closely<br />

cooperat<strong>in</strong>g with French agricultural chambers, e.g. each of the voivodship<br />

chambers cooperates with at least one departmental agricultural chamber <strong>in</strong> France.<br />

Such cooperation covers project implementation <strong>in</strong> particular sectors, improvement<br />

of labour organisation, agro-tourism development, exchange of the youth from<br />

agricultural schools, etc.<br />

An important element of KRIR’s <strong>in</strong>ternational cooperation is an attempt at<br />

provid<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>formation on specific features of Polish <strong>agriculture</strong> to EU farmers. It<br />

takes the form of organised trips of EU farmers to Pol<strong>and</strong> dur<strong>in</strong>g which both<br />

achievements <strong>and</strong> problems of Polish <strong>agriculture</strong> are presented. For <strong>in</strong>stance, every<br />

year KRIR organises missions of agricultural counsellors from the EU member<br />

states’ embassies to familiarise them with Polish <strong>agriculture</strong>.<br />

Moreover, KRIR cooperates with pan-national European agricultural<br />

<strong>in</strong>stitutions. S<strong>in</strong>ce the beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g of 1998 the National Council of Agricultural<br />

Chambers has been a member of the Confederation of European Agriculture<br />

(CEA). From September 2002 it was an associated member of COPA/COGECA <strong>and</strong><br />

s<strong>in</strong>ce 1 July it has been a fully fledged member of this organisation (Committee of<br />

Agricultural Professional Organisations – COPA <strong>and</strong> General Committee of<br />

Agricultural Cooperatives – COGECA).<br />

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