News
Welcome note December 2021 newsletter
Dear readers, 2021 has been another turbulent year, again with great successes and challenges. Just like last year, I would…
15/12/2021
Climate change
Sustainable Carbon Cycles: New EU Communication
On 15 December, the European Commission presented its Communication on ‘Sustainable Carbon Cycles’. On the one hand, the Communication addresses…
14/12/2021
GMOs
Commission event: Can New Genetic Engineering Techniques (NGETs) be sustainable?
The European Commission invited stakeholders, public officials, and politicians for a high-level event to discuss their plans to launch new…
EU releases soil strategy & plans legal initiative in 2023
On 17 November, the European Commission published the EU Soil Strategy for 2030 together with a proposal for a regulation…
15/11/2021
Climate change
COP26: Outcomes relevant to food, land & agriculture
The UN Climate Change Conference (COP 26) took place from 31 October to 12 November 2021 in Glasgow. Even though…
Mainstreaming organic plant breeding – celebrating 20 years of organic plant breeders
‘How to make organic plant breeding mainstream’ – was the guiding question of the 20th anniversary event of the organic…
27/10/2021
Climate change
COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland
From 31 October to 12 November, the UN’s climate change conference (UNFCCC COP26) will take place in Glasgow, Scotland in…
Welcome note October 2021 newsletter
Dear readers, Autumn has reached Europe, and unlike nature at this time of year, our work is not slowing down.…
Political hotspot October 2021 newsletter
26 October marked the final day for final contributions to the Commission’s inception impact assessment (roadmap) on the Sustainable Food…
12/10/2021
GMOs
Participate in Commission Public Consultation to keep (new) GMOs regulated and to protect organic
As covered in the last edition of the newsletter, the Commission is considering a new legal proposal for so-called “New…
08/10/2021
Climate change
EU organic movement’s reply to public consultation on carbon farming initiative
The European Commission invited stakeholders to provide input to a roadmap for the Commission’s initiative aimed at developing sustainable carbon…
The future of organic food: Ten take-aways of the Organic Food Conference 2021
Our Organic Food Conference 2021 was a success, and we are happy to share the ten key take-aways. The European…
Welcome note September 2021 newsletter
Dear readers, I would like to welcome you back to our first newsletter after the summer break. I hope you…
28/09/2021
GMOs
Public consultation for new legal proposal upcoming
On 29 April 2021, the European Commission published a study on the status of New Genomic Techniques under Union law…
Celebrating the launch of EU Organic Day – 23 September
On 23 September, the European Parliament, Commission and Council of the European Union celebrated the launch of the new annual…
23/09/2021
EU Organic Day
Organic movement welcomes new EU Organic Day on 23 September
BRUSSELS, 23 SEPTEMBER – Today, the three EU institutions – European Parliament, Council of the European Union and European Commission…
23/09/2021
EU Organic Day
23 September is now EU Organic Day
This year the European Parliament, Council of the European Union and European Commission will sign a Joint Declaration establishing 23…
Last Commission consultation before presentation revised Sustainable Use of pesticides Directive
On 5 October, Mathilde Calmels, IFOAM Organics Europe’s Policy Coordinator on Pesticides, Natural Inputs and Fertilisers, will be one of…
Upcoming vote on the Regulation on Statistics on Agricultural Inputs and Outputs (SAIO) in AGRI Committee
On 2 February 2021, the Commission published its proposal for a Regulation on Statistics on Agricultural Inputs and Outputs (SAIO),…
Public consultation on carbon farming initiative roadmap & re-launch climate change task force
The European Commission has opened its public consultation on the roadmap for the initiative “Restoring sustainable carbon cycles” and feedback…
08/09/2021
GMOs
The debate about new GMOs in Europe: Our Policy Coordinator in conversation with Slow Food Europe
In their podcast series on European food and farming policies, Slow Food Europe brings together experts to discuss hot matters…
LIVESEED – Organic seed breeding at the Organic World Congress
The LIVESEED project, which IFOAM Organics Europe co-cordinates, is contributing to the Organic World Congress (OWC) with a colourful program.…
Have your say! IFOAM Organics Europe provided feedback to the Commission’s EU School Scheme roadmap
As announced in the Farm to Fork (F2F) strategy, the Commission will “review the EU school scheme to enhance its…
Boosting organic seed & breeding - Policy and stakeholder recommendations
As the LIVESEED project is coming to its end, it has released a synthesis of all its results and recommendations.…
24/06/2021
Seeds
Commission opens public consultation on the review of the seed legislation
The Commission’s Directorate General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) is reviewing the Union’s options to update the existing…
Comics showing why industrial agriculture is broken
In May 2020, the EU released its Biodiversity and Farm to Fork strategies as part of the European Green Deal.…
21/06/2021
Biodiversity
CAP
Climate change
EU's agrifood vision
Events
Food policy
Organic regulations
Ten take-aways of the European Organic Congress 2021 - 16-18 June, online, live from Lisbon
Following a successful edition of the hybrid European Organic Congress 2021, we are happy to share the ten key take-aways…
21/06/2021
Biodiversity
CAP
Climate change
EU's agrifood vision
Events
Food policy
Organic regulations
More than 660 discussed transitioning to more sustainable food & farming systems at European Organic Congress - 16-18 June, online, live from Lisbon
This year’s edition of our European Organic Congress took place online and live from Lisbon on 16-18 June 2021. More…
Getting food on the climate agenda - FoodSHIFT2030 webinar - 15 June 2021, online
Climate change policy debates fail to consider the interconnected nature of food systems and involve a wide range of actors.…
IPBES and IPCC call to prioritize solutions benefiting both biodiversity and climate
On 10 June 2021, scientist and leading experts from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and…
09/06/2021
GMOs
European retailers take a strong stand against deregulating new GMOs
On 26 May 2021, European retailers took a strong stand against deregulating new GMOs in a joint resolution. One of…
For a just transition to align the EU food system with the Green Deal - 26 May 2021, online
French and European food systems need to be transformed to address health, environmental and social challenges. However, the current policy…
19/05/2021
GMOs
New GMOs in Europe? Slow Food Europe podcast with our Policy Coordinator
Slow Food Europe just launched a podcast series dedicated to European food and farming policies, gathering experts to discuss hot…
Welcome note May 2021 newsletter
Dear readers, It is spring, a period I associate with birth and budding blossoms, the energetic execution of gardening plans…
05/05/2021
GMOs
Political hotspot May 2021 newsletter
On Thursday, 29 April, the Commission released their long-awaited in-house study on the ‘status of new genomic techniques under Union…
03/05/2021
Seeds
EU Commission presents options to review the common seed legislation
Following a request from Member States in 2019, the Commission has published a study on the options to update the…
29/04/2021
GMOs
Organic movement raises red flag on assumed benefits deregulating new genomic techniques
BRUSSELS, 29 APRIL 2021 – The organic food and farming movement criticises the Commission’s plan to work on a new…
LIVESEED webinar for Members of the European Parliament & their staff - 30 March, online
On 30 March, LIVESEED invited Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and their staff to present them the outcomes of…
30/03/2021
GMOs
Civil society, farmers and business organizations: Vice-President Timmermans, don't deregulate GM crops & animals
BRUSSELS, 30 MARCH 2021 – Today, a large coalition of 162 civil society, farmers and business organisations calls on Vice…
Welcome note March 2021 newsletter
Dear readers, On behalf of the European organic movement, I would like to welcome the new European Organic Action Plan…
Political hotspot March 2021 newsletter
The new action plan for the development of the organic sector was published on 25 March 2021. IFOAM Organics Europe…
IFOAM Organics Europe welcomes new Organic Action Plan
BRUSSELS, 25 MARCH 2021 – The organic food and farming movement welcomes today’s publication of the European Organic Action Plan…
[Exclusive for members] Let's discuss organic hot topics
As a follow-up of the thematic sessions hosted during BIOFACH, we are bringing our members live sessions during which they…
23/03/2021
Seeds
Secondary legislation on ‘Organic Heterogenous Material’ finalized
The secondary legislation on Organic Heterogenous Material (OHM) is in the process of being finalized and soon to be published…
New router database connects Member States’ organic seed databases
A long-awaited solution for seed suppliers, European organic farmers, and national authorities arrived. The new router database will increase the…
EUCARPIA-LIVESEED Conference - Breeding and seed sector innovations for organic food systems - 8-10 March 2021, online
A conference organised by Latvian LIVESEED partner AREI to present recent scientific results in organic plant breeding took place on…
Listen to first episode of the #Food4EU podcast with IFOAM Organics Europe President Jan Plagge on the European Union’s role in shaping the organic market
IFOAM Organics Europe President Jan Plagge spoke during the first episode of the new podcast series on food and farming…
[Exclusive for members] GMOs and gene editing in agriculture: Event recordings available until 15 March
On 10 February 2021, more than 160 participants and 7 speakers joined the online event GMOs and gene editing in…
More than 1,000 attended our sessions at BIOFACH’s e-Special - 17-19 February 2021, online
On 17-19 February 2021, the first online edition of BIOFACH took place with more than 13,800 participants. 17 February: Opening…
Organic and Conventional sectors discuss genome editing at IFOAM Organics Europe event - 10 February 2021, online
IFOAM Organics Europe invited food & farming stakeholders and policymakers to discuss GMOs and gene editing in agriculture. With the…