The Spanish Beef Interprofessional Organization (Provacuno) and the Walloon Agency for the Promotion of Quality Agriculture (ApaqW) have organized the 1st Symposium on the Sustainability of European Beef Cattle, to be held on November 12 in Brussels. This international event will analyze the challenges and opportunities facing the sector in terms of economic, social, and environmental sustainability.
The symposium is open to the entire European sector and is free of charge. Participants can attend in person or online, with prior registration required through the website vacunasostenible.eu.
This pioneering event will bring together leading figures and institutions connected to the beef industry to discuss the present and future of the sector in relation to sustainability, particularly regarding emissions reduction, soil degradation prevention and improvement, and to analyze various European initiatives and collective strategies that demonstrate the beef sector’s commitment to sustainability.
Javier López, director of Provacuno, emphasizes: “This symposium is a unique opportunity to showcase the sector’s commitment to sustainability in all its dimensions: economic, social, and environmental. We want to share with citizens and European institutions all the work that the sector, funded by the European Union, is doing. The opinions and viewpoints expressed are solely those of their author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (EREA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.”
For his part, Philippe Mattart, director general of Apaq-W, highlights: “Dialogue and the exchange of experiences are essential to advancing sustainability.” This symposium will bring together European experts and producers in a shared knowledge space that will help strengthen the European beef production model, based on innovation, best practices, and respect for the environment.
International Speakers and Current Affairs Roundtables
- Under the theme “For a Sustainable Europe: Beef’s Special Mission,” the symposium will bring together European institutional representatives, academic experts, industry associations, and opinion leaders to discuss the strategic role of beef cattle in achieving the EU’s climate and carbon neutrality goals.
- The day’s program includes four thematic roundtables, featuring top-level international speakers: Economic Sustainability: “Viable and Affordable Production.” Participants will include Benoît Cassart (livestock farmer and MEP, Belgium), Heinz Osterloh (German Livestock and Meat Trade Association), Prof. Bruno Colmant (economist and strategic consultant), and Dr. Peer Ederer (founder of GOALSciences).
- Social Sustainability: “The meat sector as a social driver.” With Giuliano Marchesin (Intercarne Italy), Alexander Bernhuber (livestock farmer and MEP Austria).
Environmental Sustainability: “The meat sector’s path towards emissions reduction and soil improvement.”
With Prof. Fernando Estellés (Universitat Politècnica de València), Jean Baptiste Dollé (IDELE, France), Ruaraidh Petre (Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef), and Prof. Víctor Resco de Dios (University of Lleida).
Sustainable commitments of the European meat sector.
With the participation of Javier López (CEO of Provacuno), Philippe Mattart (CEO of Apaq-W), and Guillaume Gauthier (SELMA – European Alliance for Sustainable Livestock and Meat).
The symposium will also be an opportunity to present the first progress of the Sustainable program. European Beef (SEUB), and the EU-cofinanced promotional campaign (2025-2027) launched by Provacuno and Apaq-W under the slogan “For a sustainable Europe, the special mission of beef,” which aims to inform citizens about the beef sector’s commitment to economic, social and environmental sustainability and to inform the producer and processor sector about the new techniques and technologies available to improve the sustainability of their farms and industries.
