Gijs Schilthuis

Gijs Schilthuis is the Director for Sustainability at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI), a position he has held since October 2024. In this role, he oversees the development and implementation of sustainable agricultural policies within the European Union, aligning the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) with the EU’s broader environmental and climate objectives. With over 19 years of experience at the European Commission, including 16 years dedicated to DG AGRI, Mr. Schilthuis has been instrumental in shaping agricultural policy reforms. He joined the Commission in 2005, initially working at the Directorate-General for Health and Consumers (now DG SANTE), and later transitioned to DG AGRI in 2008. Prior to his tenure at the Commission, he served as a parliamentary assistant in the European Parliament. Mr. Schilthuis holds a Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics from Wageningen University in the Netherlands. His extensive expertise encompasses policy formulation, implementation, and strategic management of agricultural initiatives across the EU. In his current capacity, he plays a pivotal role in steering the EU’s sustainability agenda, focusing on areas such as organic farming, rural development, and the integration of environmental considerations into agricultural practices.