Call for Papers on Agriculture or Renewable Energy!

We are happy to announce that the procedure for sending in paper ideas related to Agriculture and Renewable Energy is now open!

The proposals will be discussed and approved by the Coppieters Bureau at their next meeting in October 2024, applicant will be then notified by November 2024 about the outcome, finally papers should be finalised by 31 May 2025.

Is there any researching idea related to Agriculture or Renewable Energy you want us to consider or undertake? Do you want to engage with us in expanding the work of Coppieters Foundation into new lines of action? Please complete this  APPLICATION FORM for researching project on Agriculture or Renewable Energy  and send it to us at info@ideasforeurope.eu.

GUIDELINES

Coppieters Foundation is committed to the principles of democracy, human rights, diversity, collective rights, gender equality, solidarity, peace, and open dialogue. Applicants and their paper ideas should be developed and implemented in the spirit of these values.

Please note:

• This is a call for 2 different subjects: one paper related to the topic of Agriculture and one paper related to Renewable Energy topic. In the form you will be asked to choose one of the two subject A) Agriculture or B) Renewable Energy

• Please note that papers related to Agriculture or Renewable Energy only will be considered.

• Only proposals in English will be considered

• Coppieters Foundation will publish the papers on the webpage https://ideasforeurope.eu/

CONTEXT:

The recent farmers’ protests in the European Union have underscored the deep-seated concerns and grievances within rural communities. These protests, often characterized by mass demonstrations have shed light on various issues ranging from agricultural policies to environmental sustainability and fair-trade practices.

At the heart of these protests lies the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), a cornerstone of EU policy that directly impacts rural areas. While initially conceived to ensure food security and support farming communities, the CAP has faced criticism for its complexity, inequities, and environmental consequences.

The impact of the CAP on rural areas is multifaceted. On one hand, it provides vital financial support to farmers, helping to stabilize incomes and maintain agricultural production. However, the policy’s subsidy system has been accused of favouring larger agribusinesses over small-scale farmers, exacerbating inequality within the agricultural sector.

Furthermore, the CAP’s focus on maximizing productivity has raised concerns about environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, and unsustainable farming practices. This has sparked calls for reform, with many advocating for a more sustainable and equitable agricultural policy that prioritizes environmental stewardship, supports rural development, and ensures fair compensation for farmers.

In summary, the recent farmers’ protests in the EU highlight the urgent need for reform within the agricultural sector, particularly regarding the CAP’s impact on rural communities. As policymakers grapple with these challenges, the future of European agriculture hangs in the balance, with implications not only for farmers but also for the environment, food security, and the well-being of rural populations.

The transition to renewable energy also poses challenges for rural communities. Large-scale projects can sometimes disrupt local ecosystems and traditional ways of life, causing conflicts over land use and environmental conservation. Additionally, the initial investment required for renewable energy infrastructure can be prohibitive for smaller communities, leading to disparities in access to clean energy resources.

In several European countries, the big actors of the energy industry are pushing forwards large-scale projects with little or scarce control of the authorities, which pose big challenges for local, small, distributed energy production schemes. Energy market is not far from being a de facto oligopoly.

Nevertheless, European Renewable Energy policies strive to mitigate these challenges by promoting community-led renewable energy initiatives and fostering local participation in decision-making processes. Through initiatives such as feed-in tariffs and community energy programs, rural areas are empowered to take ownership of their energy production, enhancing both sustainability and resilience at the local level.

In essence, while European Renewable Energy policies have brought about transformative changes in rural areas, their long-term success hinges on balancing economic development with environmental stewardship and community empowerment.

It is not just a matter of taking stock of the weaknesses and threats of the agricultural or energy system of the stateless nations and their small and medium-sized producers.

It will be especially valued if the study presents cases of good practices already existing in several EU countries about the problems indicated in the previous lines.

Coppieters priority involves the analysis of the relationship between Agriculture or Renewable Energy policies with one or more of the aspects below:

• The concept of democracy & impact of policies on regions, stateless nations, and rural areas;
• The comparison with the dynamics outside the EU;
• The consequences of the common agriculture policy (CAP) on regional level;
• The impact of EU trade agreement on local realities;
• The impact and the burden of renewable energy policies on rural areas and consequences on democracy;

Your ideas should ideally fall into one of these suggested links, we also encourage to include best practices useful for policymakers.

When submitting an idea, please note that it must comply with the following criteria:

• Proposals should have a political impact (meaning with policy implications and/or analysis) rather than a cultural outlook;
• Proposals should have a good quality outcome;
• Proposals should be easy to communicate and have easy to communicate outcomes;
• Proposals should not go against EFA objectives, such as respect for democratic values, cultural diversity, collective rights and peace;
• Gender equality in the composition of panels in conferences and publications is a requirement;
• Proposals submitted by the same researchers will not be granted again in two consecutive years;

FINANCING

Coppieters Foundation is a non-profit European political foundation. Our budget is partially funded by the European Parliament. Therefore, implementation of projects must follow strict rules to ensure correct implementation of (A) the European Union financial regulations and rules of application, (B) the grant agreement signed with the European Parliament, and (C) Coppieters’ own internal control rules and procedures.

Coppieters Foundation will bear the costs related to the project and will pay the relative costs to third party providers of goods and services necessary for the implementation of the project ([1]); upon receipt of invoices or upon the presentation of any other equivalent document. Where applicable, the reimbursement of travel expenses is calculated on actual costs resulting by the provided supporting evidence, which shall mandatorily include, in case, inbound and outbound boarding passes. Administration and personnel costs must be excluded from the project budget.

The compensation for the work of the researcher(s) will be:

• up to 5.000 euro, in case of a group of researchers collaborating for the project
• up to 2.500 euro, in case of a single researcher working on the project

The foundation and the researcher(s) will sign a Memorandum of understanding, which frames the terms of the cooperation and partnership.

[1] Such as venue booking, speaker flights, catering, professional photographer, interpretation/translation, design of publicity materials, printing of leaflets/publications, proofreading, expert fees etc.

This activity is financially supported by the European Parliament. The European Parliament is not liable for the content of the publication or the opinions of the authors.

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Header photo by Andreas Gücklhorn on Unsplash.

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