News
GMOs – An easy breakdown on common myths
Global grassroots organization Slow Food International has recently published a short myth-busting article with the most common, but wrong and…
Member States call for ‘new impact assessment’ on the Pesticides Regulation (SUR), delaying strict EU pesticide regulation
On 19 December, Member States1 voted in favour of requesting complementary data to the existing impact assessment the Commission carried…
Promoting recycled fertilizers in Europe: IFOAM Organics Europe position paper & outcomes policy workshop on closing the nutrients’ cycle
On 28 February, IFOAM Organics Europe has published a new position paper on the Commission’s Integrated Nutrients Management Action Plan…
All CAP Strategic Plans approved, just like Parliament’s report on long-term vision for rural areas
On 13 December, the European Commission approved the last national Common Agricultural Policy’s (CAP) Strategic Plan and the European Parliament…
November newsletter: SUR, GMO-free event, and more!
Two weeks ago, we published our November newsletter and it’s rich in updates and information on the hottest organic topics!…
Welcome note November 2022
Dear reader, I am happy to welcome you to this year’s last edition of our newsletter. I am proud to…
21/11/2022
Farm to Fork
Put sustainable school meals on the EU agenda - Sign the petition
The Buy Better Food Campaign has initiated an EU-wide petition for ‘A healthy meal for every child in every EU…
GMO-free Europe Event held at the European Parliament to take a stand discuss the European Commission's new NGT legislative proposal
The European Commission announced a new legislative proposal for so-called ‘Novel Genomic Techniques’ in the second quarter of 2023. This…
14/10/2022
GMOs
The scientists behind the GMO deregulation lobby – A story of vested interests
Many scientists currently active in agricultural biotechnology who lobby for deregulating so-called ‘new genomic techniques’ (NGTs) in the European Union…
14/10/2022
GMOs
Add your signature – Support these EU-wide petitions to stop attempts to deregulate new GMOs
The European Commission is working on a new legislative proposal for ‘New Genomic Techniques’ (NGTs). We expect this to be…
Save the Date: GMO-Free Europe Event 2022 - 17 November
We invite you to join us for a GMO-free Europe event at the European Parliament to discuss the European Commission’s…
27/09/2022
GMOs
Worrying step to deregulating GMOs: EU Agriculture Commissioner says “no controversy about direction” among EU Agricultural Ministers
The recent Informal meeting of the EU Ministers of Agriculture set a worrying tone for the political agenda regarding Genetically…
Watch the EU Organic Awards ceremony, tomorrow 23/9, 10:00
Tomorrow, Friday 23 September, there will be the second edition of the EU Organic Day, established by the European Commission…
Early feedback 2023 promotion policies reveal potential decrease in funding for organic products
The Commission’s decision to ringfence budget for organic products within the promotion policies was welcomed by the organic sector as…
Transformation scenarios for boosting organic farming & organic - OrganicTargets4EU project starts
The Horizon Europe project OrganicTargets4EU officially started on 1 September 2022. Coordinated by IFOAM Organics Europe, the project aims to…
New position paper on nutrition labelling
IFOAM Organics Europe published its new position paper on “Nutrition labelling & Nutri-Score”. This publication comes at a time of…
June newsletter: measuring pesticides, new GMOs, and more!
We just published our June newsletter and it’s rich in updates and information on the hottest organic topics! Not sure…
Political hotspot June 2022 Newsletter
On 22 June, the European Commission published two important legislative proposals related to the implementation of the Farm to Fork…
Review of events
We were thrilled, after two years of digital events, to meet again at the 2022 European Organic Congress. Below you find…
27/06/2022
GMOs
Public consultation on new genomic techniques still ongoing + Member briefing
The 12-weeks consultation period of the European Commission in the context of the Impact Assessment for new legislation for ‘New…
22/06/2022
Farm to Fork
Welcoming the national Organic Ambassadors to Brussels, 21 June
On June 21, the European Commission hosted a meeting of the recently created EU network of national Organic Ambassadors. These…
Shifting school meals and schools for increased resilience
Schools are the place where many young people learn about healthy diets and a sustainable food culture if this can…
Environmental NGOs and organic movement call on Commission to develop a new indicator to measure progress towards the Farm to Fork pesticide reduction target
BRUSSELS, 9 JUNE 2022 – The organisers of the European Citizens’ Initiative Save Bees and Farmers (signed by 1.2 million…
Organic Innovation Days 2022: Living labs & lighthouse farms in organic, 11-12 October 2022, Rumbeke-Beitem & Brussels, Belgium
After two virtual editions of the Organic Innovation Days, this year’s edition will once again take place as a physical…
03/05/2022
GMOs
Commission opens public consultation on new legislation for new genetic engineering techniques
The EU Commission launched a 12-weeks consultation period in the context of the Impact Assessment for new legislation for ‘New…
Sustainable nutrient management: our contribution to the European Commission’s public consultation
In Europe, surplus nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in the environment are already exceeding safe planetary boundaries – for N…
EU Parliament AGRI Committee supports organic farming in vote on Organic Action Plan report
BRUSSELS, 31 MARCH 2022 – IFOAM Organics Europe welcomes ComAGRI’s vote on the Parliament’s Organic Action Plan (OAP) report. AGRI…
EU Parliament saves Farm to Fork’s integrity but concedes on Biodiversity
BRUSSELS, 24 MARCH 2022 – IFOAM Organics Europe welcomes the European Parliament’s support to the Farm to Fork Strategy as…
ClieNFarms project has started
Making farms climate-neutral is the aim of the ClieNFarms projects that started last January. The project will set up 20…
New project wants to make school meals part of transition to sustainable diet
The EU-funded “SchoolFood4Change” (SF4C) project aims to shift school meals and schools into a new paradigm of systemic change towards…
16/03/2022
GMOs
No risk assessment and labelling for eggs and hens of genetically modified origin?
Following an EU Commission statement, it can be concluded that eggs and laying hens that originate from genetically engineered hens…
The 7 key policy recommendations on sustainable food public procurement
The Food Policy Coalition’s policy recommendations on food procurement support procurement as a tool that contributes to the systemic transformation…
Statement of solidarity with Ukraine
The European organic movement expresses its solidarity with all people in Ukraine, with all those, including in Russia, who have…
02/02/2022
GMOs
New GMOs: What’s next for Europe & state-of-play legislative process
As covered in previous editions of our newsletter, the European Commission has been moving forward with plans to create a…
Sustainability labelling: Product Environmental Footprint not suitable for agri-food products
Sustainability labelling has to be one of the major food-related political topics of 2022. As the think tank IDDRI outlines…
Policy brief outlining key points for a “Carbon Farming Scheme”
In December 2021, the European Commission presented its Communication on ‘Sustainable Carbon Cycles’, which addresses how to increase carbon sequestration…
Trialogues on Regulation on Statistics on Agricultural Inputs and Outputs to start
On 10 December, the Council of the EU approved its mandate for negotiations on the Regulation on Statistics on Agricultural…
Revised Directive for a Sustainable Use of pesticides expected on 23 March
The indicative calendar of the European Commission for the first half of 2022 mentions the launch of a “Nature restauration…
Review of events
On November 16, IFOAM Organics Europe and French Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Eric Andrieu (S&D) co-hosted a webinar…
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…
Alternatives for contentious inputs: Research well on track, 30 November 2021-1 December 2021
On 30 November and 1 December, the Organic Innovation Days 2021 entitled “Better inputs for organic agriculture” took place online. In 2021,TP Organics’ annual public event,…
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…
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.…
Review of events
On 22 September, the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) organised a workshop to discuss the potential role of public policies in…
Our Director speaks on biodistricts at ‘Added Value of the Organic Farmer, Bioregions’ conference 12-14 October 2021, online & in the Netherlands
On 12-14 October, the Conference ‘Added Value of the Organic Farmer, Bioregions’ discussed the broader benefits of organic farming and…
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…
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…
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…
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),…