Minutes of the SC zoom meeting Bucharest
16 12 2025
October 9, 2025, h: 10.00 a.m. Paris time, CET time
MINUTES OF THE SC ZOOM MEETING BUCHAREST
October 9, 2025, h: 10.00 a.m. Paris time, CET time
R E P O R T – MINUTES
ATTENDANCE
Members present:
1. President, Ioan Jelev (Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Romania)
2. Vice-president, Nazim Gruda (Academy of Science of Albania)
3. Elena Horská, UEAA former president (Slovak Academy of Agricultural Science)
4. Michel Duclos (French Academy of Agriculture)
5. Vilém Podrázský (Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences)
6. Hojka Kraigher (Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts)
7. Kerstin Niblaeus (Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry)
8. Simone Orlandini (Accademia dei Georgofili, Italy)
9. Evi Arachoviti (Great Britain, Royal Agricultural Society of England/ Innovation for Agriculture)
10. Baiba Rivža (Latvian Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences)
Others present:
– Michel Thibier, UEAA President’ Counselor (French Academy of Agriculture)
– Zenonas Dabkevičius, UEAA Alumni member (Lithuanian Academy of Sciences)
– Mario Pezzotti, head of the UEAA EWG on Gene Editing
– Prof. Revaz Asatiani, observer (Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences)
Absent (incl. apologies):
– Violeta Bozhanova, member (Agricultural Academy of Bulgaria, motivated as a result of changes at the Academy’s management level)
– Vasile Botnari, member (Academy of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences of Moldova, motivated)
– Shamil Ibatullin, observer (National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine)
– Anuch Balian, observer (National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine)
The members deliberated on the following Agenda:
1. Welcome address by President and approval of Agenda.
2. Analysis and approval of the Draft Minutes of the UEAA Steering Committee of June 19, 2025, Bucharest.
3. Updates: EWG on CAP, Gene editing and Forest strategy.
4. Information regarding the EASAC cooperation and the New UEAA EWG on Water.
5. Proposal for the election of a new member from Bulgaria, in the person of Prof. Stefan Gandev, the President of the Bulgarian Agricultural Academy; the opinion of the Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences regarding its representation within the UEAA SC.
6. Newsletters.
7. Best Abstract Competition 2025.
8. Miscellaneous.
9. Close of the meeting (12:00).
Agenda item 1 – Welcome address by President and approval of the Agenda
The President, Prof. Ioan Jelev, opened the meeting and welcomed all attendees. He asked the members if they agreed with the proposed draft Agenda or had any comments/proposals.
The Agenda was unanimously approved.
Agenda item 2 – Analysis and approval of the Draft Minutes of the UEAA Steering Committee of June 19, 2025, Bucharest
The draft minutes of the UEAA SC meeting, held on June 19, 2025, circulated electronically to members and all comments/corrections received were incorporated.
The SC meeting Minutes of June 19, 2025 was unanimously approved.
Agenda item 3 – Updates: EWG on CAP, Gene editing and Forest strategy
Regarding gene editing, President Jelev asked Mario Pezzotti whether he had any updates on the ongoing discussions at the Commission level and invited him to comment briefly on the matter. Pezzotti explained that, at this stage, the scientific community can no longer influence the process, as it has shifted entirely into the political arena. Policymakers are attempting to reach an agreement and finalize a decision by late November or early December. If no agreement is achieved under the current Danish Presidency, he believes the proposal will effectively stall. The subsequent Presidency, held by Cyprus, is not expected to prioritize this topic
He added that the core challenge is the dynamic among political groups, as the decision is now purely political. A central issue that continues to surface is patentability. The patentability and labelling of genome-edited products are particularly contentious. Patentability is complex, and many policymakers are not fully aware that Europe has a well-established system for plant protection through the CPVO, which safeguards breeders’ rights. Any new variety developed through genome-editing technologies would inherently involve patented components, as the enzymatic tools and genes used in genome editing are themselves protected by patents that must also be respected at the European level. Policymakers who distrust the patent system tend to oppose the proposal for this reason.
Michel Thibier suggested to UEAA Board to make a statement today indicating that we are very much waiting for a solution to be reached that it is so important for the future of agriculture and pass that to Brussels. Showing that the UEAA are very much pushing the thing and that might be positive for UEAA but also for those that are just questioning whether is so urgent matter or not. If we agree today perhaps Mario could draft couple of sentences that could be sent to Brussels saying that the UEAA has sent a motion urging the European politicians to try to find an agreement because European agriculture is very much in demand to this. A
couple sentences saying that we urgently need the European Union to progress on this issue so that it could go ahead and the document Mario indicated could be
attached to it, for the benefit of agriculture and farmers.
President Jelev asked SC members if they agree with the idea of Michel Thibier that Mario Pezzotti to elaborate a statement in which be expressed the UEAA willingness to reach some agreement in this question and everybody agreed. UEAA SC members approved the proposal Regarding the CAP, President Jelev said that there is a lot of debate, many people are concerned about the proposal that the next CAP should be introduced into a single, large EU budget, and asked members what they think and if they should have a reaction on this point. Kerstin opinion was to contact Carmel.
Then President invited Kerstin Niblaeus to say something about forest strategy. First, Regulation on nature restauration which is about biodiversity (follow-up the EU strategy of biodiversity). All the MS are now elaborating their plans for implementation which they will have to present to the Commission in September next year.
Then, forest monitoring which is about better monitoring of the forest in EU (Some countries have very functional systems while others will need to build up systems.) The situation is now actually that European Parliament voted against this and the Commission might withdraw their proposal.
Regulation about deforestation – ( (the idea is to stop the import of foodstuffs and other things which had been produced after deforestation, in rainforests and so
on, which is very bad for biodiversity;
Bioeconomy strategy, wwhich the Commission is working on and will present in December, there is supposed to be a big launch in Copenhagen because is the Danish Presidency, this is about competitiveness and how forest resources can help also in reducing carbon dioxide emissions through replacing products, produced using fossil energy and so on. The more general thing about the EU financial framework for the coming years where we already touched on this idea that they have to merge funds where the proposal is that forestry would be under the hat of the CAP, so funding connected to forestry, forest management, that would have to sort of compete with the money for the Common agriculture;
Regulation about forest plant material where the idea is both to be prepared for crisis situations to be able to provide enough but also to ensure that we have plant material that can facilitate the adaption to climate changes – so, the trilogues are going on, that is to say the contacts between the Parliament and the Council of Ministers and the Commission, and the Danish Presidency is trying to conclude this before the end of this year.
Prof. Jelev thanked Kerstin and asked for question/comments concerning this presentation.
After Mario Pezzotti drafted the short Statement on the approval of the NGT Regulation that was read to the SC members, prof. Jelev put it to a vote and everyone approve it.
It was agreed to be posted on the UEAA website and sent it to Brussels. (Michel said the important thing is to be posted on the UEAA website a.s.a.p. and Nazim Gruda added to make a link to the Statement, the main document, telling to the Commission that is very urgent and if they need more information they can click here).
Agenda item 4 – Information regarding the EASAC cooperation and the New UEAA EWG on Water.
President Jelev, informed the SC members about the recent correspondence with the President of EASAC and the proposal to have some contacts on different opinions on waters and other items with their experts.
Simone proposed to continue our activities and to create a new electronic working group on water and have our independent activities. Sure, if necessary, maybe we can also have some exchanges of views with the experts from the environmental panel of EASAC. Simone Orlandini opinion was that at this moment, 3-4 members and him could be a very good number for the formation of the working group.
Michel Duclos said he had distributed the first draft to colleagues at the French Academy and could probably find someone within the Academy who could join the group.
Agenda item 5 – Proposal for the election of a new member from Bulgaria, in the person of Prof. Stefan Gandev, the President of the Bulgarian Agricultural Academy; the opinion of the Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences regarding its representation within the UEAA SC.
Ioan Jelev presents the proposal received from the Bulgarian Agricultural
Academy to appoint as a representative within the UEAA SC, the new president of
the Academy, Prof. Stefan GANDEV, instead of the former president, Prof. Violeta
BOZANOVA.
Subject to a vote, the proposal made is voted unanimously by the members of the UEAA SC.
Next, the president Ioan JELEV presents the opinion of the Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences regarding the maintenance within the UEAA SC of Acad. Revaz ASATIANI as observers.
Subject to a vote, the proposal that Acad. Revaz ASATIANI remain an observer within the UEAA SC is voted unanimously
Agenda item 6 – Newsletters.
Ioan JELEV briefly presents the situation of the publication of UEAA Newsletters for the year 2025, thanking in particular the Vice-President Nazim GRUDA for the efficiency with which he planned and followed up the monthly publication of the newsletter. Next, Ioan Jelev asks Nazim GRUDA to prepare the publication plan for the following year 2026.
Nazim GRUDA and Zenonas DABKEVIČIUS consult the SC members whether two newsletters could be published in October, namely ”European Biotechnology Congress 2025 Successfully Held in Tirana”, respectively: ”Technology, Tradition, and Trust: Harmonising Consumer Needs and Agricultural Technologies for Sustainable Food Production”.
The UEAA SC members approve the two proposals, with the planned Newsletter for October, entitled: ”Climate change threatens agriculture in the Republic of Moldova”, to be rescheduled for November 2025
Agenda item 7 – Best Abstract Competition 2025.
The UEAA President invited Michel DUCLOS to present the status of the existing Abstracts proposals to date. The presentation showed that the number of proposals received was still low. It was proposed to extend the deadline for submitting abstracts until December 15, 2025.
Ioan Jelev asked SC members to appeal to their own Academies to encourage the submission of new abstracts.
Subject to a vote, the UEAA SC members unanimously approved the extension of the deadline for submitting abstracts
Agenda item 8 – Miscellaneous.
There being no other matters to discuss, the President of the UEAA proposes that the next meeting of the UEAA SC be held on December 11, 2025 at 10:00 (Paris time).
The President of the UEAA SC, Ioan JELEV, declares the proceedings of the UEAA SC closed.