The article is about the European Union Movement in Agriculture. Research topic is relevant because cooperative
movement became very widespread (17% of the European population are members of cooperatives from 2009 to 2015, the
number of cooperative companies in Europe increased by 12% and and amounted to 176,461).
Agricultural cooperation in Europe is described by the following indicators: cooperative enterprises, members (multiple
membership), employees, annual turnover. Cooperation features are traced by the example of the three countries. The
first is France, which holds the leading position among the European Agricultural Cooperatives. Attention is paid to the
long history of agricultural cooperatives and associations of producers areas:
use of means of production, packaging, storage, processing or marketing of products;
supply of fertilizers and other resources.
The basic laws that govern the activities of agricultural cooperatives and associations are investigated and analyzed:
Code of river and sea fishing;
1947 Act;
Commercial Code;
Civil Code;
Plan of accounts.
These are the declared objectives of France's agricultural cooperatives:
To provide or facilitate the manufacture, disposal or sale, especially for exports of agricultural and forestry products;
To ensure cooperation with partners, providing equipment, gear and animals, on condition that they can provide the
necessary level of maintenance, repair and feeding; 3. To provide equipment, agricultural machinery, equipment maintenance,
young stock; certification training, use of educational results of organizations and laboratories, if necessary, to involve
specialized personnel.
On the basis of the 1947 Act "On the level of cooperation" the definition of the cooperative is stated. It is the company
which is formed by several persons, who are united voluntarily to meet their economic and social needs, achieve common
efforts to obtain the necessary income.
The second subject of study was the agricultural cooperation in Greece, which is one of the most common in Europe.
It includes community-based structures, agricultural unions, nationwide cooperation. The peculiarity of the first law on cooperative
farms, adopted in 1914 is noted. It is said about the mechanisms of their regulation. Act 4015-2011 "On the structure of agricultural
cooperatives, collective organizations and enterprises in the agricultural sector", adopted in September 2011 is characterized.
Thelaw aimed at the formation of stable and effective cooperatives is defined. Three types of collective agricultural
organizations which may use tax incentives, agricultural cooperatives, producer groups and partnerships are characterized.
The problems encountered by agricultural cooperatives during the crisis: recession, lack of liquidity in the banking system,
the negative financial consequences, confiscation of property are noted. Cooperatives acquire such traits as: entrepreneurial
dynamism, operation on private criteria.
It is said that agricultural cooperatives play an important role in the UK’s agricultural sector. They give farmers greater
control over the supply chain, help them cut costs on key inputs through economies of scale and allow to share innovations
that can boost output and productivity. This report reviews the current state of, and support for, the agricultural cooperative
sector, the issues it faces and some of the challenges and opportunities looking forward.
Cooperatives are an important part of the UK’s business landscape, contributing £37 billion to the British economy in
2014. From the employee owning enterprises like John Lewis to the farmer controlling businesses like Anglia Farmers, the
cooperative sector is diverse, with nearly 7,000 independent cooperatives across the country.

Constituting the second largest part of the cooperative sector, there are 621 agricultural and farmer cooperations listed
in the UK today. 155,000 farmers (approximately half of the UK’s farmers) are members and co-owners of these businesses.
The sector has grown by a third since 2010 with a current annual turnover of £6.2 billion.
This section of the agricultural industry has a positive message in terms of growth and sustainability with a wide variety
of farmer cooperation across the UK achieving success globally with large-scale respected enterprises.
I was acquainted with the structure of the main legal document regulating the activities of the cooperative movement
in the UK – the Law " Cooperative Act ". It is noted in the article the role of the cooperative movement in agricultural
development of European countries. The main cooperatives, have to solve, challenges: protect the interests of farmers, production
at the lowest cost, the sale of goods at the best price.
Key words: cooperative enterprises, act, annual turnover, employees, members, association, agricultural cooperative.