The EFTTA Annual General Assembly was held via Zoom video conference on June 5, 2024, with a significant number of attendees taking the time to attend. On behalf of the entire EFTTA Board, Gerard Bakkenes (Shimano) gave a comprehensive presentation on EFTTA's structure, projects and future strategy, which are based on the following 3 pillars: lobbying, advocacy & membership benefits.
LOBBY, ADVOCACY & MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
Besides an overview of the main lobby and advocacy topics that are addressed at the EU institutions in close cooperation with the EAA (European Angling Alliance), a long-term partner and co-funder of the joint lobby office in Brussels, it is emphasized that EFTTA focusses on acting as a platform to unite all relevant stakeholders and protect the right of recreational angling to exist. To achieve this goal, EFTTA aims to create exclusive member benefits that meet expectations and support members in their business. In return, members are asked to promote the socio-economic benefits of recreational angling and assist in the fight against the anti-angling lobby that has recently emerged in various EU countries.
MEMBERS
Supported by several industry alerts, EFTTA is happy to note that the overall awareness of the threatening situation of recreational angling is clearly on the rise. After two staggering years due to EFTTA's new establishment in Brussels and the COVID-19 pandemic, the first 6 months of 2024 have again brought a considerable membership growth. The EFTTA board is confident that this positive development will continue in the next year.
CORPORATE STRUCTURE
Since its new establisment in Brussels, Belgium in 2021, EFTTA is registered as an NPO and acknowledged as a formal lobbying and advocacy association. Even if a nonprofit association has challenging legal obligations to fulfill, this corporate structure clearly confirms EFTTA's vocation to fully concentrate on lobbying and advocacy to safeguard recreational angling for future generations.
EVENTS
This also means that EFTTA will no longer be actively involved in organizing summits and events, but instead will delegate the task to third parties who will act on behalf of the association.
The EFTTEX brand, owned by EFTTA, is licensed to a third party who will have the right to organize the show on an independent basis. As already announced in early May, EFTTEX 2025 will be organized and promoted by Resolutions Ltd – who has been involved in organizing EFTTEX from 2000 to 2019.
Q&A
During the Q&A the shared views were very interesting and a valuable basis for EFTTA's future approach. It clearly underlined the need for a more intensive exchange with the different players in the recreational angling industry in order to coordinate a joint approach – be it making recreational fishing more interesting, protecting the EU market or consciously cooperating with environmentalists. It also showed the desire for more opportunities to meet personally, which will surely be possible through the summits and seminars EFTTA is planning to offer.
