About SACAR
History
SACAR (Secrétariat des Associations du Commerce Agricole Réunies / Joint Secretariat of Agricultural Trade Associations) was originally founded in 1980 in Brussels as a not-for-profit organisation serving and representing various European trade associations from the agri-food sector. SACAR was then incorporated in 2005 as an international not-for-profit organisation (‘aisbl’) under Belgian law. SACAR is nowadays recognised by a wide range of institutional interlocutors in Brussels as a representative umbrella organisation of various EU and international trade associations in the agricultural and agri-food sector and is registered as such in the EU Transparency Register of Interests representatives (section ‘trade/business/professional associations’).
Mission
To support and promote the horizontal and vertical interests of its members and contribute to shaping and optimising the enabling environment impacting businesses active in the various agri-food sectors represented within its membership and affiliated across its wider network.
Approach
Over the years, SACAR’s realm, membership, structure and range of activities have gradually evolved to bring it to where it is today: a not-for-profit umbrella organisation, located at the heart of the EU decision-center, serving and promoting the interests of its members and closely cooperating on horizontal synergies and commonalities with various relevant partners and organisations of the EU and international agriculture and agri-food trade sector. By both working on sectoral specificities and actively engaging in horizontal synergies across its membership and partnerships, SACAR is able to optimise its reach, capacity and relevance and to provide its members, and selected partners, with a unique knowledge & resource centre and a very valuable cross-sectoral networking platform.
Governance
As an international not-for-profit organisation, SACAR is governed by a Board of Directors composed of elected representatives from SACAR member organisations. The Board defines the strategic directions and priorities of SACAR and oversees the operational and financial performance of the organisation. A General Assembly is held once a year. The SACAR Managing Director is entrusted by the Board with the overall operational management of the SACAR office and with the supervision & coordination of activities carried out by the SACAR team.
