Union Fleurs, the International Flower Trade Association, and Florint, the International Florist Organisation, were both present at IPM Essen 2012 and used the occasion to meet on Friday 27 January to discuss issues of common interest and ways in which they could strengthen cooperation in the future.
Union Fleurs was represented by its President Lennart Loven and Sylvie Mamias, Secretary General, while Florint was represented by President Mark Ward, General Secretary Toine Zwitserlood and taskforce members Brian Wills-Pope and David Bourguignon. A lively and fruitful meeting took place, during which many views and ideas were exchanged with respect to the current challenges the flower retail and trade are facing.
Union Fleurs and Florint have already been cooperating for several decades, both being represented in the Advisory Committee Floriculture of the Directorate General of Agriculture in Brussels. For years, representatives of both organisations have met prior to the meetings of this Committee to exchange ideas and points of view, which are generally in line with each other.
Changes in the presidency of both organisations in the past year, however, led to a new round of bilateral meetings in 2011 in order to further explore common ground and intensify the dialogue between the two organisations. The constructive position that emerged during these discussions led to last week’s meeting, where efforts were made to establish a definitive way forward.
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