Tigran Richter (President Europatat)
“The Europatat Congress 2027 will be a truly special occasion as we celebrate 75 years of representing and connecting the European potato trade. For the first time, we will gather in Portugal, a fitting setting to reflect on how far our sector has come and, more importantly, to look ahead to its future. Together with our Portuguese partners of Porbatata, we look forward to welcoming potato professionals from across Europe and beyond to Lisbon, to exchange ideas, strengthen cooperation and address the opportunities and challenges that will shape the next generation of our sector.”
Europatat Congress public session
Venue: Radisson Collection Hotel Grand Place Brussels
More details and speakers’ names will be announced soon
Friday 24 May
- 10:00h – 10:30h: Registration and welcome coffee
- 10:30h – 11:30h: ADAPT session
- Moderated by Romans Vorss, Technical Affairs Director at Europatat
- Presentation scientific results of the project by Markus Teige, Senior Lecturer at the University of Vienna, and Rashmi Sasidharan, Professor at Utrecht University
- Presentation practical results of the project by Guus Heselmans, manager R&D, Meijer Potato
- Panel discussion “Where next?” with the presence of previous speakers, and Christian Bachem, Wageningen Research, and Gisela Quaglia, DG Agriculture – European Commission
- 11:30h – 11:45: Coffee break
- 11.45h – 13.00h: Opening session & Keynote speech
- Welcome by Moderator: Rose O’Donovan, EU agri journalist and Editor of AGRA FACTS
- Opening speech by Tigran Richter, President Europatat
- “How to stay relevant for people and society tomorrow and the day after tomorrow”, keynote speech by Rik Vera, Author, futurologist, business philosopher and keynote speaker
- 13:00h – 14:30h: Presentation by Platinum Sponsor followed by networking lunch
- “MELENDEZ X RE EVOLUTION” by Sergio Calvo Fernández, Chief information Officer Patatas Meléndez
- 14:30h – 15:55h: Focus session “European Potato Trade in 2030: a sector in transition”
- Introductory speech by Pierre Bascou, Director for Markets and acting Deputy Director-General for Markets and International at DG Agri – European Commission
- Panel discussion with the participation of:
- Klaus Berend, Director for the Directorate Food Safety, Sustainability and Innovation at DG Sante – European Commission
- Lieven Van Waes, Agronomist / Senior Policy Advisor at the Flemish Agency for Agriculture and Fisheries in Belgium
- Erika den Daas, Manager Director at Meijer Potato
- Santiago Campos Martínez, Policy Advisor at ASAJA Brussels Office to the EU
- 15:55h – 16:00h: Closing and announcement Europatat’s actions for the International Day of Potato
- Berta Redondo Benito, Secretary General Europatat
- 16:00h – 17:00h: Farewell drinks