Euromontana has its origins in an FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) sponsored seminar on mountain agriculture in 1953, which generated subsequent mountain conferences at two yearly intervals. In 1974, the Confederation of European Agriculture (CEA) set up a permanent working group for “socio-economic issues in mountain regions”. Called “Euromontana”, the group comprised agricultural representatives from the countries of the Alps and Pyrenees and perpetuated this sequence of biannual conferences.
The Association was founded in 1996, as a non-profit and scientific organization, with international vocation, neutral in terms of religion and politics, registered under the French law of 1st July 1901.
Euromontana has been active in several working themes that are identified to be a priority for the sustainable development of mountain areas.
It organized several events each year, in particular European mountain conventions every second year and participated in several European projects
– Improve the living conditions of the mountain populations of Europe
– Promote sustainable development in its three areas (environment, economy, society)
– Promote quality in the mountain areas – life, projects and products quality
– Representing mountain communities by keeping in regular contact with European institutions, national governments and intergovernmental organizations involved in governance at the massif level; by making constructive proposals during the revision of European policies that impact mountain areas, and by elaborating these proposals with all members so that they are representative and strong.
– Promoting the strengths of mountain areas and the added value for Europe of sustainable investment in these areas: by organising events (conferences, seminars, meetings, conventions, etc) and by publishing articles and reports.
– Organising cooperation between mountain people by developing and managing European projects (research, territorial cooperation, training/exchanges, etc); by coordinating discussions and exchanges between members on priority action themes.
– To carry out, participate in or compile studies that can enrich our collective knowledge on the situation of mountain areas and the orientations to take for their sustainable development.
Euromontanta’s network: it always operates in network, each project will be carried out by several organizations with a leader responsible for implementation and reporting to the Board of Directors.
