The International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT), an independent intergovernmental organisation, is working on developing an international guide on Collaborative Legal Structures for Agricultural Enterprises (LSAE) to help farmers, their lawyers and institutions choose the right form of collaboration based on their context and needs.
Cooperatives are featured as one of the three forms being explored together with companies and multiparty contracts, and the ICA has been involved in the discussions led by the Working Group on LSAEs.
Cooperatives were on the agenda at the fourth session held between 8-10 November 2023.
The Working Group discussed general matters regarding the purpose and target audience of the future legal guide and considered the issues raised in three Draft Discussion Papers prepared by the members of the Subgroups on multiparty contracts, companies and cooperatives. The next session of the Working Group on LSAE is scheduled for 18-20 March 2024 at the UNIDROIT headquarters in Rome.
The project is jointly undertaken by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
Prof Hagen Henry, the chair of the ICA Cooperative Law Committee and Prof Cynthia Giagnocavo, the chair of the ICA Committee on Cooperative Research are part of the Working Group while Santosh Kumar, the ICA Legislation Director, represents the ICA, which has observer status.
The International Cooperative Agricultural Organization (ICAO) has also continued its participation in the Working Group meetings through Jongseok Lee, ICA Agricultural Adviser.
Photo: members of the UNIDROIT Working Group on Collaborative Legal Structures for Agricultural Enterprises during the 4th Meeting between 8-10 November 2023, in Rome, Italy. Image courtesy: UNIDROIT
