ENA held the General Assembly during IPM-Essen.

 

The French organisation Val’hor was accepted as a new member.

 

 

The European Nurserystock Association (ENA) General Assembly met in Essen –Germany–, during IPM trade show, on January 28th, 2016. It was attended by thirty delegates from 18 European countries to discuss the main concerns of the European nursery sector.

 

France became the 18th country member of ENA when Val’hor was unanimously accepted by the General Assembly as a full ENA member. Val’hor is the French umbrella organisation for the ornamental horticulture sector representing 50.000 companies in the production, landscape, wholesale and retail businesses. The FNPHP (Fédération Nationale des Producteurs de l’Horticulture et des Pépinières) is the nursery and horticulture member of Val’hor for the production sector. The organisation FNPHP had been one of the founders of ENA in 1991, although it discontinued its membership during recent years. Mr Tim Edwards, President of ENA, stressed the importance of having Val’hor in ENA, as France is one of the biggest countries in Europe in both production and consumption of nursery products; “ENA was not complete without France” he declared.

 

Mr Jean-Marc Vassse and Ms Emmanuelle Bougault, from Val’hor, also presented to their European colleagues the promotion program Cité Verte towards greener cities (www.citeverte.com), that may well be considered a model, made by Val’hor to influence and campaign for the greening of urban spaces.

 

French ornamental horticulture figures:

• 4.154 Holdings

• 21.200 jobs (including 12.400 employees)

• 5 employees / holding

• Area production : 16.600 hectares

(Source: Val’hor)

 

Mr Leon Smet, chairman of the ENA International Plant Names List Working Group, informed the delegates that the update, made every 5 years, changing names and adding new species and varieties, is almost ready and the new International Plant Names Lists will be printed in March 2016. (www.internationalplantnames.com).

 

ENA is celebrating the 25th anniversary this year and the General Assembly approved commemorating this important event by planting a tree in each country where ENA has members. Each organization member of ENA will cooperate identifying a relevant venue where the tree will be planted, coordinating the plantation with the selected city and inviting relevant speakers and authorities to the planting ceremony.