Minutes of the SC zoom meeting Bucharest
18 03 2026
December 11, 2025, h: 10.00 a.m. Paris time, CET time
MINUTES OF THE SC ZOOM MEETING BUCHAREST
December 11, 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. Michel Duclos (French Academy of Agriculture)
4. Hojka Kraigher (Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts)
5. Kerstin Niblaeus (Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry)
6. Simone Orlandini (Accademia dei Georgofili, Italy)
7. Baiba Rivža (Latvian Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences)
8. Stefan Gandev (Bulgarian Agricultural Academy)
9. Evi Arachoviti (Great Britain, Royal Agricultural Society of England/ Innovation for Agriculture)
10. Vasile Botnari, (Academy of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences of Moldova)
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
– Revaz Asatiani, observer (Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences)
– Cristian Hera, UEAA past president (Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Romania)
– Vyara Stefanova (Bulgarian Academy of Agricultural Sciences)
– Edvinas Misiukevičius and Paulina Streimikyte (Lithuanian Young Academy of Sciences)
Absent (incl. apologies):
– Vilém Podrázský (Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences)
– Elena Horská, UEAA former president (Slovak Academy of Agricultural Science)
– 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 the Agenda.
2. Brief intervention by UEAA Vice President Nazim Gruda and representatives of the Youth European Academies.
3. Presentation of the draft UEAA communiqué on gene editing – Michel Thibier.
4. Analysis and approval of the Draft Minutes of the UEAA Steering Committee of October 9, 2025, Bucharest.
5. Updates: EWG on CAP, Gene editing and Forest strategy.
6. Information regarding the New UEAA EWG on Water activities.
7. Newsletters.
8. Best Abstract Competition 2025.
9. Approval of the date and venue of the next General Assembly, of the UEAA SC and the related Scientific Symposium entitled: “Sustainable European Agriculture and the Balance with the Environment” – Tirana, Albania, 21-22 September 2026.
10. Miscellaneous.
11. 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.
Before entering the agenda, Prof. Jelev introduced two special guests, Academician Cristian Hera, Honorary President of the Romanian Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences (AAFS) and former President of UEAA between 2004-2006, and Prof. Florin Stănică, the new President of AAFS starting January 1, 2026. He also introduced the new full member of the UEAA SC, Prof. Stefan Gandev, President of the Bulgarian Academy of Agriculture, and invited them to address a few words.
The UEAA past president, Acad. Hera, recalled the activities organized by the UEAA in the past and the meetings with Professor Scaramuzzi, from Georgofili, who took the initiative to establish this Union, prof. Jean Marc Boussard from France, a very active president, prof. Baiba Rivza, from Latvia, and others and wished great success to those present who continue this activity.
Prof. Stanica, from AAFS, expressed his full availability for collaboration with the distinguished organizations of the Union and openness to any proposals for cooperation in the future.
President of the Bulgarian Academy of Agriculture, prof. Stefan Gandev, who is a specialist in the field of fruit growing, especially in the field of propagation and training improving system, thanked for the warm welcome as SC member. He reaffirmed the full engagement of the Bulgarian Agricultural Academy in the initiatives of the UEAA.
Then, Prof. Jelev gave the floor to Councilor Michel Thibier, who had to leave the meeting early, and Mario Pezzotti to say a few words about the draft UEAA communiqué on gene editing they prepared together, entitled The European Union reaches an agreement on new genomic techniques (NGT) in plant editing. The document recalls the UEAA’s involvement in this issue over the years and also highlights the new situation after the Trilogues debates. It circulated electronically to all UEAA SC members and President Jelev asked for comments.
After comments received from members, it was decided that the final version would be redistributed to all members for their approval and then published on the UEAA website.
President Jelev asked then the members if they agreed with the proposed draft Agenda or had any comments/proposals.
The Agenda was unanimously approved.
Agenda item 2 – Brief intervention by UEAA Vice-President Nazim Gruda and representatives of the Youth European Academies
President Jelev invited Vice-president Gruda to say a few words about the activities of the Young European Academies and some ideas about the future involvement of young academies in activities similar to those of the senior European Union Academies.
Prof. Gruda explained that, given the context of promoting young talents and the fact that there is no Youth Academy for Agriculture in Europe, the idea focuses on supporting the creation of a youth academy. He gave as a model the initiative of
Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, which has a good experience with its Young Academy of Sciences, and whose representatives, Paulina and Edvinas, attended the meeting. Another example was ALLEA. But the question was how can UEAA support this young academy and what are the expectations? For example, the organization of joint activities (e.g. joint projects, workshops, conferences). At first, the idea was for the academies to nominate one or two young people from their academies, which will build the core, and then they can extend and create a young European academy of agriculture. The most important point was that this young academy will operate as an independent one.
The members agreed that it is a very good initiative and Zenonas said that a final decision could be done at the next UEAA General Assembly, in Albania.
Then President Jelev invited the two representatives of Lithuanian Young Academy of Sciences, Paulina and Edvinas, to share their opinion.
Paulina said she fully supports Nazim Gruda and Zenonas Dabkevicius’ ideas and, first of all, they will need contacts, networking being the key.
Edvinas said that it is an excellent opportunity to be part of this initiative and to be the link between young academics from each country’s academies, knowing that new generations could be involved in future issues and that they need to know them and prepare to address them properly.
President Jelev asked the members of the UEAA Steering Committee if they have such young academies or other organizations of young scientists to send their nominations, 1-2 people, by January 12.
Agenda item 3 – was discussed at first point
Agenda item 4 – Analysis and approval of the Draft Minutes of the UEAA Steering Committee of October 9, 2025, Bucharest
The draft minutes of the UEAA SC meeting, held on October 9, 2025, circulated electronically to members and all comments/corrections received were incorporated. There were no further comments.
The SC meeting Minutes, with the observations of Mario, was unanimously approved.
Agenda item 5 – Updates: EWG on CAP, Gene editing and Forest strategy
Prof. Jelev asked Kerstin Niblaeus if she had anything to add about the activity of the Forest group, including in relation to EU forest strategy.
Kerstin said the Commission has put forward its strategy for Bioeconomy. We have a strategy for forests, a strategy for biodiversity and now the new thing is the strategy for bioeconomy, which highlights the role of not only forests but also agriculture and also the blue bioeconomy. More information about this EU bioeconomy strategy will be provided in the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry contribution to the UEAA newsletter in February 2026.
She added that regarding the Nature Restoration Regulation, work is ongoing, with all Member States still working on their implementation plans, which they must submit to the Commission by 1 September next year.
Agenda item 6 – Information regarding the New UEAA EWG on Water activities
Prof. Jelev gave the floor to Simone Orlandini, from Georgofili Academy, to inform members about the activities of the new UEAA European Water Working Group, a very important point in relation to the objectives of Europe in general, but also throughout the world.
Prof. Orlandini told that at the first meeting of the EWG he recently organized only 2 out of 4 persons attended. He emphasized that more support is needed because the group only consists of 4 members now and there should be at least 6-8 members, so that the contributions can be divided.
Regarding the topics that can be addressed in the first part of the activity, after discussions with Rosa, who attended the meeting, and taking into account her expertise, they identified two main themes, one referring to technology and skill for the efficient use of water (precision agriculture, water balance…) and the second is considers different type of water (saline, waste water, treated water, regulation, challenges).
Thus, he asked all SC members to think about experts that can be included in the EWG so that they can really start in a more efficient and productive way.
He added that he would try to expand these two topics a bit so that it would be easy to identify experts for them, and then a Concept Note could be sent to each academy to solicit proposals for experts.
President Jelev asked members if they can support this activity by proposing some experts interested to take part and involve in this voluntary activity.
Agenda item 7 – Newsletters
President Jelev thanked to all academies that contributed monthly to the Newsletter with important topics and debates from the scientific world. He also highlighted the significant contribution of vice-president Nazim Gruda in the planning of Newsletter and invited him to say a few words about the next year plan.
Vice-President Gruda thanked colleagues for the prompt feedback provided in its implementation and stated that it is no problem if there are multiple topics in a month, two newsletters can be published together.
Agenda item 8 – Best Abstract Competition 2025
President Jelev thanked Michel Duclos for his strong support in this activity and invited him to say a few words.
Michel Duclos informed that until present 23 abstracts have been received and the deadline for their receiving is 15 December, after that the call will be closed. He also reminded the rules that must be followed by authors in preparing abstracts.
Another important point was the discussion about organizing the jury to draw up the rankings in early 2026, and finding volunteers to act as referees. For establishing the members of the two evaluation groups, prof. Jelev asked for proposals.
Hojka Kraigher, Revaz Asatiani, Simone Orlandini, Michel Duclos and Zenonas Dabkevicius and Baiba Rivza agreed to be members of the groups of evaluation.
Regarding the recording of abstract presentations and load the video on the UEAA website it was decided to propose it to the authors and ask for their permission and leave the decision to the authors.
Agenda item 9 – Approval of the date and venue of the next General Assembly, of the UEAA SC and the related Scientific Symposium entitled: “Sustainable European Agriculture and the Balance with the Environment” – Tirana, Albania, 21-22 September 2026
President Jelev stated that Vice President Gruda’s proposal is that the next General Assembly and related meetings should take place on September 21-22, 2026, in Tirana, considering that the Albanian Academy of Sciences is to take over the presidency of the Union, according to the UEAA rules, and the title of the symposium proposed was “Sustainable European Agriculture and the Balance with the Environment“.
He thanked vice-president Gruda and invited him to say a few words about the proposal.
Regarding the proposed title for the symposium, Prof. Gruda explained that it is oriented towards what is happening now in Europe, and even the FAO had a discussion, it is about the balance between agriculture and the environment. But of course it can be changed and he wanted to know their opinion.
Prof. Jelev asked members if they had comments about the date and the title of the symposium.
After comments and suggestions, the members agreed that the title of the Tirana symposium should be “Sustainable European Agriculture and Balanced Management of Natural Resources”. Also the date was agreed (Subsequently, it was decided that for organizational reasons, the entire action would take place on September 21, 2026.).
Agenda item 10 – Miscellaneous
There being no other topics to discuss, the UEAA President proposes that the next meeting of the UEAA SC take place on March 12, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. (Paris time).
The President of the UEAA SC, Ioan JELEV, declares the proceedings of the UEAA SC closed.