European Sustainable Food Producers Network
Co-operation agreement
1.The project
The project “European Sustainable Food Producers Network” has been developed by the partners listed below as an AlimenTerra initiative. AlimenTerra is a European network for sustainable food systems whose objective it is to support and bring together projects of local producer and consumer groups that aim to produce and consume local, sustainable quality food products in this way promoting a healthier and sustainable way of producing and consuming and fostering more viable rural economies and communities.
The project has been described in detail in the attached project plan that has been agreed upon by all partners on September 24 2005.
The partners agree to execute the project according to this plan. Changes in the plan will be made only by mutual consent of the Steering Group in which all partners are represented.
2.Partners
Next to AlimenTerra the following partners are involved:
- Somerset Food Links Ltd, United Kingdom.
- East Anglia Brewers Co-operative, United Kingdom.
- Ruralscapes, United Kingdom.
- Intercoop, Spain.
- Den Hâneker, Holland.
- Groene Hart Landwinkels, Holland.
- GAL BolognAppennino.
Lead partner is AlimenTerra.
The following Leader+ Local Action Groups are involved:
- LAG De Waarden, Holland, leading LAG
- LAG BolognAppennino, Italy
- LAG Blackdown Hills Management Group, U.K
- LAG Somerset Levels and Moors, U.K.
- LAG The MarchesEngland, U.K.
- LAG Leidse Ommelanden, Holland
- LAG Weidse Veenweiden, Holland
Although these partners have developed and will execute the project, they overall aim in the long run is to involve as many similar initiatives over Europe as possible.
3.Co-operation goals
The goals of the transnational cooperation are:
- to exchange knowledge and experiences, in this way building best practices regarding the trading of local sustainable quality food products and other products and services connected to this trading
- to develop a long term European structure for the trading of said products and services
- to develop a business plan for this European structure and to find the necessary means to execute the business plan
- to develop new products and services
- to enhance and enlarge the network involving new partners from other European areas
- to show the results to the general public, relevant public bodies and NGO’s
4.Duration of the project
The project will officially start on April1st 2006 and will end on December 31st2007.
5.Responsibilities of the lead partner
- AlimenTerra will be acting as lead partner.
- In this capacity AlimenTerra will be legally responsible for the contracts with persons, companies and organisations that will execute a part of the project plan
- Before legally contracting third parties, bids will be put before the Advisory Committee for agreement
- AlimenTerra will be responsible for the correct payment of the joint costs as specified in the project plan, chapter 9
- AlimenTerra will also be responsible for keeping the overall accounts of the joint costs and provide partners with the necessary data for the financial reports of the individual partners.
6.Responsibilities of all partners
- all partners are responsible for a effective and efficient execution of the project plan, version 7 of March 25 2006, and for the sharing of all relevant information
- all partners are responsible for providing the funding of their individual costs and for their share in the joint costs as specified in said project plan, chapter 9
- all partners will make sure that the lead partner, AlimenTerra, will receive funding for the payment of the joint costsas quickly as these funds are available to them, based on progress reports by the lead partner
- all partners are responsible for providing all information necessary for a correct execution of the project plan, the financial reports, the functioning of the information platform and for the internal and external communication
- all partners appoint a representative for the Advisory Committee
- all partners appoint a contact person for the project lead partner and project management
- all partners will join AlimenTerra as associate member at least for the duration of the project
7.Disclaimer
- AlimenTerra is not responsible or liable for problems concerning payments between individual partners that are not part of the joint cost and for problems with local contractors, that are contracted by individual partners
- Individual partners are not responsible of liable for problems AlimenTerra may encounter concerning payments and concerning third parties that have been contracted by AlimenTerra for the execution of the project
- All other problems or disputes between AlimenTerra and partners not foreseen in this agreement will be brought before the Advisory Committee to be decided upon.
8.Signatures
AlimenTerra:
Name:
Legal position:
Date:
Signature:
Somerset Food Links:
Name:
Legal position:
Date:
Signature:
East Anglia Brewers Co-operative:
Name:
Legal position:
Date:
Signature:
Ruralscapes:
Name:
Legal position:
Date:
Signature:
Intercoop:
Name:
Legal position
Date:
Signature:
Coöperatie Groene Hart Landwinkels
Name:
Legal position:
Date:
Signature:
Den Hâneker:
Name:
Legal position:
Date:
Signature:
GAL BolognAppennino:
Name:
Legal Position:
Date:
Signature: