RULES. INNOVATION AWARD FOR WOMEN FARMERS Women farmers as drivers of innovation and green growth in the European Union

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1 CF(16)927:1 MR/al Brussels, 12 th February 2016 RULES INNOVATION AWARD FOR WOMEN FARMERS Women farmers as drivers of innovation and green growth in the European Union The Copa Women s Committee is pleased to launch the fourth edition of the European Innovation Award for women farmers. The 2016 edition is entitled Women farmers as drivers of innovation and green growth in the European Union. The role played by women involved in farming is fundamental to rural development and farming. Recent statistics indicate that women farmers represent 42% of the European Union s agricultural workforce and 30% of these women are farm managers. Furthermore, spouses and family members are frequently overlooked and their influence within the workforce often goes unnoticed. The award was therefore introduced in a bid to improve the visibility of the central role of women involved in farming and to better acknowledge the many innovative approaches they take towards agriculture and diversification throughout the EU. The projects presented by these women demonstrate their capacity to contribute to finding new solutions to the challenges faced in rural areas. The award will be presented in the week of October 2016 just before the International Day of Rural Women of 15 th October. ARTICLE 1 GENERAL TERMS The aim of this award is to promote the important role that women farmers play in rural areas and to identify the innovative activities of women farmers that meet certain criteria. ARTICLE 2 THE AWARD 2.1. Scope The award is open to all women farmers who are members of Copa organisations. The award shall be granted according to the following non-cumulative criteria 1 : 1. The use of innovative know-how, methods or new forms of technology in a sector or on the land, 2. Innovation transfer, 3. The sustainability of the innovation, namely on an economic and environmental level, 4. New communication methods. 1 Examples of certain types of activities that may be covered by the prize include: projects promoting female entrepreneurship on or outside the farm; advisory services on good commercial practices for agricultural products; offering new products or new ways of drawing value from local resources; providing new services; using new production or processing methods; searching for new markets or new customers; or seeking new forms of partnership and organisation. Copa European Farmers 61, Rue de Trèves B Brussels EU Transparency Register Number Copa

2 2.2. Criteria The use of innovative know-how, methods or new forms of technology in a sector or on the land Sector-based innovation may cover working methods or organisational approaches, or introducing new forms of technology that contribute to a competitive and efficient agricultural sector, thus helping to reduce costs and produce more with less. Land-based innovation can include the use of recent developments (technical or organisational) in a geographical area where they were not used before. This may also cover the creation or provision of services helping to reconcile professional and family life in rural areas, or innovation through diversified farm activities Innovation transfer Innovation must not be limited to one single farm, but should have a potential impact or effect on all holdings in the same production sector or region, or on the area s relations with the outside world. In this context, innovation not only refers to what affects the farm, but also to the whole value chain, including machinery, packaging products, channels of distribution, and export methods for agricultural products Sustainability of the innovation The innovation method must be socially viable, and promote green growth by tackling climate change, mitigating pollution and optimising resource efficiency. It must also have a certain longevity and should stand the test of time in order to have an impact, instead of appearing and disappearing in a short space of time New communication methods New communication methods are used to improve farm-education for children and adults and/or improve the consumers knowledge on farm production methods Nature of the award The award winner shall receive a certificate and trophy reflecting the objectives of this award. The award winner shall benefit from publicity and communication about the award, which shall be publicised at EU level as an example of innovation, best practices and the know-how involved in the activities of women involved in farming. The award winner shall also have her project presented on the Copa and Cogeca website. ARTICLE 3 APPLICATION 3.1. Application procedure The interested candidates must prepare and send in their applications with the following documents in one of the Copa working languages 2 : Participation form, including: The address of the organisation putting forward the candidate The candidate s personal details Statement of agreement with the rules of participation The location of the farm A description of the structure of the farm and its activities A description of the innovative elements introduced on the farm by the candidate 2 Copa working languages: English, French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish. 2 5

3 The outcomes/results of the innovative project introduced on the farm by the candidate short description of the innovation. Declaration of endorsement from a Copa member organisation. Any other documentation that the candidate might consider promotes/supports her candidacy. The presentation of the innovative project must not exceed three pages. Audiovisual material may also be submitted in the candidate s mother tongue. The application form as well as all other relevant documentation and information shall be made available on Agri Info in all Copa and Cogeca working languages. Two copies of the application must be submitted: one in any of the Copa and Cogeca working languages, and the other in English. If the selected language is English, the candidate may only submit one copy of her application Reception of applications All applications must be submitted no later than 20 th May Applications must be sent with the following statements clearly visible on the envelope Submission from «name of organisation» for the innovation award for women farmers and Do not open. Applications must be sent by registered post, or hand delivered to Copa-Cogeca (Rue de Trèves 61, 1040, Brussels, Belgium). If the application is delivered by hand, it must be received before 12:00 p.m. on 20 th May The postmark or date of collection by the postal service, accompanied by the acknowledgement of receipt dated and signed by Copa-Cogeca, shall serve as proof of the date of submission of the proposal. Applicants must therefore ensure that the deadline is respected. Documents received after the deadline shall not be accepted. Faxes, incomplete applications or applications sent in several parts shall also not be accepted. ARTICLE 4 ELIGIBLE APPLICATIONS All applications received shall be opened and their eligibility evaluated during a meeting of the Organising Committee, to be held by 27 th May All applications received that do not comply with the rules set out in Articles 2 and 3 (e.g. using the correct participation form, including the declaration of endorsement, or respecting the procedure) are not valid and therefore shall not be eligible for the award. All documentation (including photos, maps or other) pertaining to non-eligible applications or those not chosen for the award shall not be returned to the sender. ARTICLE 5 THE ORGANISING COMMITTEE 5.1. Role The Organising Committee shall be established to assist the jury in its decision-making. The Organising Committee shall carry out a preliminary examination and selection of all received applications, according to Articles 2 to 4. The Organising Committee shall establish a list of all eligible applications. The Organising Committee shall establish a shortlist of the best applications, taken from the list of eligible applications. 3 5

4 The Organising Committee, in its role to assist the jury, reserves the right to verify the achievements indicated in the candidates applications Composition The Organising Committee shall be composed of: A Chair: the Director of General Affairs A member of the Secretariat: the policy advisor in charge of the Women s Committee Two members of the Women s Committee A member of the Policy Coordination Committee (POCC) Deliberation The Organising Committee shall decide on the shortlist of the best applications by 30 th June In order to establish the shortlist of applications, the Organising Committee, failing to reach a unanimous decision, shall decide by a simple majority vote. In the case of a draw, the Chair shall have the deciding vote. ARTICLE 6 THE JURY 6.1. Role The jury shall be entrusted to select the winner of the award, in line with the criteria set out in Article 2. The jury may also consider attributing special achievements to one or several other shortlisted projects of relevant quality Composition The jury shall be composed of five members. It shall include representatives of Copa, as well as representatives of the European Institutions and qualified persons who, as a result of their function, profession or experience in the fields of agriculture or forestry can competently identify exemplary innovative achievements or initiatives in the EU. The jury shall be composed of: The Copa-Cogeca Secretary General The Chair of the Women s Committee A representative from the European Commission A member of the European Parliament A member of the European Economic and Social Committee. The Copa-Cogeca Secretary General shall chair the jury. The Director of General Affairs, with the support of the policy advisor in charge of the Women s Committee, shall act as a secretariat for the jury and assist the jury in its evaluation, in line with the award s criteria. Both shall participate as observers in the meetings of the jury Deliberation The jury shall meet in Brussels by 14 th July 2016 to select the award winner and possibly grant special achievements to other project(s). 4 5

5 The jury shall analyse the shortlist of applications and deliberate on attributing the award on the basis of the preliminary examination and selection carried out by the Organising Committee, as indicated in Article 5. The jury's deliberation is not subject to appeal and is concluded by a simple majority vote. In the case of a draw, the Chair of the jury shall cast the deciding vote. The jury shall be supported in its decision by members of the Organising Committee acting as observers and without voting rights (see 6.2.). ARTICLE 7 RESULTS AND REMITTAL OF THE AWARD DESIGNATION OF THE AWARD WINNER After analysis and deliberation, the Chair of the jury shall inform the Organising Committee of the award winner in order to prepare the official award ceremony. The Chair of the jury shall inform the award winner and any projects that have been granted a special achievement of their decision by 18 th July The award winner shall also be informed about the ceremony, the procedure for the award ceremony and any other relevant details. The award winner shall keep the jury s decision secret until the date of the ceremony. The official award ceremony shall take place in the week of October 2016 in Brussels. ARTICLE 8 COMMUNICATION AND PUBLICITY FOR THE AWARD WINNER The results of the award shall be widely publicised. Information shall be broadcast at EU level by Copa and at Member States level by Copa members, using any means of media coverage. ARTICLE 9 REMINDER OF THE CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE AWARD A prerequisite to participating in the award is that the participants must comply with and accept the conditions stipulated in this document. Relevant dates for the award: Launch of the award: second week of February Deadline for submitting applications: 20 th May Listing and establishing eligible applications: by 27 th May Analysis and screening of applications, and establishing a shortlist: by 30 th June Jury analysis and decision: by 14 th July Communication of the jury s decision to the award winner: by 18 th July Award ceremony: week of October