European Landowners' Organisation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The European Landowners' Organisation (ELO) is a vountary organisation representing the interests of the owners and managers of rural land, and rural businesses, within the EU. It was created in 1972, when the United Kingdom was joining the European Economic Community, as a European extension of the British Country Landowners' Association. It aims to promote "a prosperous and attractive European countryside", and it lobbies to advance its aims at local, national and European levels. It is a member of consultative committees and working groups within the EU, and draws its 54 members from bodies in each of the 25 EU member states and candidate countries.

The ELO's main concern is to ensure that rural areas are developed in a way that balances economic activity with conservation of the rural environmental heritage. It targets seven areas: the environment, agriculture and rural development, forestry, renewable energy, private business, enlargement of the EU, and trade.

Its 54 members form a powerful and efficient network to better understand, explain and influence EU decisions. The ELO works not only to defend specific interests but also to plan a future of balanced development for Europe.