European Council of Young Farmers

The European Council of Young Farmers, commonly known by its French name Conseil Européen des Jeunes Agriculteurs and the acronym CEJA, is a European umbrella organisation for young farmers’ associations. Founded in Rome in 1958, it was created by organisations from the six original members of the European Economic Community that wanted a coordinated voice for younger agricultural producers at the European level. The organisation later established its office in Brussels, where it engages with European Union institutions and other agricultural, rural and youth organisations. CEJA is a non-profit representative body rather than a commercial producer or consumer-facing product brand. Its members are national and regional organisations of young farmers. The organisation has been described as bringing together 33 member organisations from 22 EU member states, alongside observer organisations from non-EU countries, with a combined representation of approximately two million young farmers. Membership figures and composition can change over time, so these figures should be understood in the context of the cited source material. Its central concern is generational renewal in agriculture. CEJA highlights the structural difficulties faced by younger people entering or taking over farms, including high installation and investment costs, limited access to land and credit, uncertain farm incomes, demographic ageing, and the need to acquire new technical and business skills. The organisation seeks policy conditions that make farming economically viable and socially attractive for younger generations while recognising the environmental responsibilities of agriculture. CEJA represents its members through dialogue with the European Commission, the European Parliament, national governments and agricultural stakeholders. It participates in European Commission agricultural advisory structures and explains the Common Agricultural Policy, including its reforms, direct-payment arrangements, rural-development measures and support for new entrants. Its policy work covers farm succession, access to land and finance, climate adaptation and mitigation, environmental measures, risk management, digital and smart agriculture, international trade, food systems and the design of national CAP Strategic Plans. The organisation is governed by a General Assembly and a Presidium. Its Presidency consists of a president and four vice-presidents of different nationalities, normally elected for two-year terms. CEJA states that it does not adhere to a political ideology and instead brings together a broad spectrum of young farmers and rural-youth organisations. It also maintains links with bodies such as COPA-COGECA, the European Rural Coalition, the World Farmers’ Organisation, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Rural Youth Europe. Beyond policy submissions, CEJA organises or participates in seminars, public hearings, congresses and other events with member organisations, EU institutions and national authorities. Its public positioning generally combines support for agricultural competitiveness and resilient food chains with calls for environmental action, provided that farmers receive workable incentives, investment support and an enabling regulatory framework. In January 2024, CEJA was among Brussels-based organisations invited to participate in the European Commission’s Strategic Dialogue on the Future of Agriculture.

CEJA originated in the early period of European integration. In 1958, organisations representing young farmers in the six founding EEC countries established a European structure in Rome. The initial body was known as a Comité d’Entente and was intended to coordinate the interests of young farmers beyond national borders and give them a role in the development of European agricultural cooperation. It was subsequently renamed the European Council of Young Farmers. Over the following decades, CEJA developed into an umbrella organisation linking national and regional young-farmer associations. Its role expanded as European agricultural policy became more integrated and as the Common Agricultural Policy grew in importance for farm incomes, rural development and structural change. From its Brussels office, CEJA built regular working relationships with the European Commission, the European Parliament, member-state governments and representative agricultural bodies. A recurring theme in CEJA’s work has been the ageing of Europe’s farming population and the difficulty of attracting or retaining younger entrants. The organisation has pointed to high establishment costs, barriers to land ownership or leasing, restricted access to finance and the uncertainty associated with farm markets. It has argued that generational renewal should be a central objective of agricultural policy, not merely a secondary rural-development concern. CEJA’s policy activity became particularly visible during debates about the post-2013 CAP. It advocated a European Young Farmers Package, including more coordinated installation measures and stronger access to credit and investment. It also addressed reforms in the milk sector and participated in public discussions about farm succession and the future of rural areas. Events such as the European Congress of Young Farmers in 2010 and a public hearing on generational renewal in 2011 provided forums for exchanging views among farmers, policymakers and institutional partners. In 2017, CEJA published a position paper on the future CAP covering the definition of an active farmer, land and credit access, environmental measures, risk management, direct payments, rural development and smart agriculture. Ahead of the 2019 European elections, it worked with MIJARC Europe and Rural Youth Europe on a manifesto seeking fair opportunities for rural youth and young farmers. Its 2019 climate position connected adaptation, emissions reduction and carbon sequestration with the need to recognise agriculture’s social, economic and environmental contributions. In 2020, CEJA addressed the Farm to Fork Strategy, the CAP’s proposed green architecture and international trade policy. Across these documents, it supported stronger environmental performance but called for incentives, practical implementation and economic resilience for active farmers. CEJA also stressed that young farmers should be involved in designing national CAP Strategic Plans. In January 2024, its participation in the European Commission’s Strategic Dialogue on the Future of Agriculture placed the organisation within a broad consultation on the direction of European farming and food policy. The organisation is governed through a General Assembly and Presidium, with a Presidency composed of a president and four vice-presidents from different nationalities. Its presidents in the documented period were Joris Baecke, Matteo Bartolini, Alan Jagoe, Jannes Maes, Samuel Masse, Diana Lenzi and Peter Meedendorp. CEJA remains a representative and policy-oriented organisation rather than a commercial enterprise, providing advocacy, information, training and networking for its member organisations.

• 2024

  Participation in the Strategic Dialogue on Agriculture

  [1]Conseil Européen des Jeunes Agriculteursen.wikipedia.org

  CEJA was selected as one of 27 Brussels-based organisations involved in the European Commission’s Strategic Dialogue on the Future of Agriculture.

• 2020

  Positions on Farm to Fork, CAP architecture and trade

  [1]Conseil Européen des Jeunes Agriculteursen.wikipedia.org

  CEJA issued policy positions connecting environmental goals, food systems, trade and the economic resilience of young farmers.

• 2019

  Climate and rural-youth policy publications

  [1]Conseil Européen des Jeunes Agriculteursen.wikipedia.org

  CEJA published a climate position and joined partner organisations in a manifesto for young farmers and rural youth.

• 2017

  Position paper on the future CAP

  [1]Conseil Européen des Jeunes Agriculteursen.wikipedia.org

  CEJA set out proposals on access to land and credit, environmental measures, risk management, payments, rural development and smart agriculture.

• 2011

  Public hearing on generational renewal

  [1]Conseil Européen des Jeunes Agriculteursen.wikipedia.org

  CEJA participated in a public hearing with European institutions concerning generational renewal in agriculture.

• 2010

  European Congress of Young Farmers

  [1]Conseil Européen des Jeunes Agriculteursen.wikipedia.org

  CEJA held congress events in Seville and Louvain-La-Neuve addressing youth and agricultural issues.

• 1958

  Organisation founded in Rome

  [1]Conseil Européen des Jeunes Agriculteursen.wikipedia.org

  Young farmers’ organisations from the six original EEC member countries created a European coordination structure, initially called the Comité d’Entente.

A non-partisan European advocacy and coordination platform focused on making agriculture viable for younger generations and strengthening the voice of young farmers in EU policymaking.

• Advocacy publication

  Policy position papers

  CEJA develops policy papers expressing the priorities of young farmers on CAP reform, generational renewal, land and credit access, environmental measures, climate action, risk management, international trade and food-system policy. These documents are intended to inform EU institutions, national policymakers and agricultural stakeholders rather than to generate commercial sales.

• Professional and educational event

  Seminars and congresses

  The organisation convenes or supports seminars, congresses, public hearings and institutional events that connect young farmers with policymakers and partner organisations. Activities provide opportunities for training, exchange between national member groups and discussion of practical issues affecting farm establishment, succession and rural development.

• Representation service · 1958

  EU agricultural policy representation

  CEJA represents the interests of its member organisations in European agricultural debates. It maintains contact with EU decision-makers, contributes to advisory structures and explains the implications of CAP reforms for younger farmers. Its advocacy emphasises both the economic viability of farming and the need for credible environmental and climate measures.

• 2019Empowering Young Farmers and Rural Youth

  European Union

  CEJA, MIJARC Europe and Rural Youth Europe issued a manifesto before the European elections calling for fair opportunities for rural youth and young farmers in personal, educational and professional life.

  Source
• 2019Young Farmers’ Call for Climate Change

  European Union

  CEJA’s climate position identified adaptation, emissions reduction and carbon sequestration as key areas, while calling for policies that recognise agriculture’s social, economic and environmental functions.

  Source
• 2011Young Farmers Package

  European Union

  CEJA promoted a package of CAP measures intended to support generational renewal, including a more coordinated European installation policy and improved access to credit and investment.

  Source

• 2020

  Set out positions on the Farm to Fork Strategy and CAP green architectureStrategy

  Background

  EU institutions were developing new food-system and CAP frameworks with stronger environmental objectives.

  Action taken

  CEJA called for incentives for active farmers to adopt innovative and nature-inclusive practices, greater involvement of young farmers in Strategic Plan design and attention to economic trade-offs.

  Source

• 2020

  Proposed a trade policy more resilient for young farmersStrategy

  Background

  CEJA examined how EU trade arrangements could affect the competitiveness and resilience of agricultural and food chains.

  Action taken

  It argued that international trade should support competitive, resilient agriculture and give young farmers greater opportunity rather than exposing them only to additional threats.

  Source

• 2017

  Adopted a future-CAP position centred on young farmersStrategy

  Background

  CEJA assessed how the next Common Agricultural Policy could address generational renewal and the operating conditions of younger farmers.

  Action taken

  It published proposals covering active-farmer definitions, access to land and credit, environmental measures, risk management, direct payments, rural development and smart agriculture.

  Source

1. 1Conseil Européen des Jeunes Agriculteursen.wikipedia.org
2. 2CEJA official websiteceja.eu