COPA and COGECA Working Party on Breeding Cattle elects unanimously its Chairman Mr Hans- Peter SCHONS (D)

PRESS RELEASE of COPA/COGECA as from April 26, 2007

Brussels. At its meeting on 26 April 2007 in Brussels, the COPA-COGECA Working Party on Breeding Cattle unanimously elected Mr Hans-Peter SCHONS (D) as chairman of their group for a term of 2 years. Mr. SCHONS takes over the mandate from M. Alain MALAFOSSE (F), retiring, who was warmly thanked for having assumed with conviction and devotion the chairmanship of this group for 15 years.

M. Hans-Peter SCHONS has a Ph.D. in agriculture and is Managing Director of the German Livestock Breeders Federation (ADT) since 2001. Building on the foundation of his predecessor, the newly elected chairman will be representing the interests of the EU breeding sectors both at a European and at an international level,

The main issues the breeding sector will focus on during the coming years are inter alia the following:

· The improvement of the zootechnical legislation that rules the recognition of breeders’ organisations in charge of genetic progress in Europe and the development of the animal health legislation that rules trade with genetic material.

· The follow-up of the implementation of EU legislation on animal welfare, in particular during transport and on the farm.

· The identification of breeding animals ( ie electronic identification, traceability , …)

· The follow-up of the animal health legislation governing animals for insemination and embryo production (within the REP-VET group, a technical COPA-COGECA subgroup of veterinary experts specialised in reproduction).

· The position of the reproducing cattle sector in the strategic areas of research and breeding.

___________________________

For further information, please contact Roxane FELLER, Head of Unit, tel.: + 32 2 287 27 45, e-mail: roxane.feller@copa-cogeca.be