On Monday 9 December 2013, CEJA, the European Council of Young Farmers, appointed Kleopatra Sidiropoulou as the new Secretary General of the organisation.

With five years experience as policy officer in the European Commission’s Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development and over a year as policy advisor to MEP George Lyon, member of the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development in the European Parliament, Ms.

Sidiropoulou is well-placed to continue the important work CEJA has already done for generational renewal in the European Union (EU)’s agricultural sector. Now managing an office of four in Brussels, Ms. Sidiropoulou will build on the policy achievements recently made in the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) alongside the recently-appointed new Presidency, elected earlier this year.

President Matteo Bartolini said of the appointment: “Considering Kleopatra’s extensive experience and network in the Brussels agricultural policy arena, I am convinced that together we will be able to continue to raise the profile of young farmers across Europe and shape the EU policy framework to support young people to enter the sector. I am delighted to have Kleopatra leading our team in Brussels and I very much looking forward to working closely with her on important issues, such as the implementation of the new CAP across EU Member States and the upcoming International Year of Family Farming 2014.”