The CIDE, Commission Intersyndicale des Déshydrateurs Européens (European Dehydrators' Working Group) was set up in the 1950s. Since then, it has also represented processers of sun-dried fodder. It is a non-profit association, (NGO), governed by Belgian law. The CIDE is recorded in the Transparency Register of European Institutions and is a correspondent of the FAO (The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations). The members of the CIDE are national associations of fodder processors, dehydrators but also processors of sun-dried products. A country can only be represented by one sole association. The national associations are legal members of the Board of Directors. The CIDE may accept physical persons and legal persons as members. However they may not be members of the Board of Directors. The CIDE fulfils several kinds of purposes : -It acts on behalf of the sector with world and European institutions, as well as NGOs, by informing them about the specific features of the sector. For example, the CIDE has made contributions related to different reforms of the common agricultural policy to the European Commission Council of the European Parliament, along with the European Economic Committee and the Regional Committee. -It promotes dissemination of technical and scientific information about dehydrated and sun-dried fodder. The CIDE also holds an international congress every two years. - It ensures suitable communication among its members aimed at improving good industrial, environmental and other practices - It ensures the visibility of the sector and its products outside of the European Union.