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…
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…
14/12/2021
Food policy

Organic in sustainable food public procurement: numerous benefits for a low-hanging fruit

Recent European initiatives related to food policies, among which the Farm to Fork Strategy, Organic Action Plan, and new legislative…

IFOAM Organics Europe Meets Business: Bridging business and EU policies, 7 December, online

On 7 December 2021, players from the whole (organic) supply chain – including processors, traders, retailers, and certifiers – joined the…

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…

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…

Need inspiration communicating organic’s benefits? Members can check our updated arguments

In spring this year, we asked our membership to help us improve our database of organic’s benefits. Based on your…

The Farm to Fork Strategy: An ambition to safeguard

It is a busy time for stakeholders active on the Farm to Fork (F2F) Strategy. On 19 October, the European…
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…
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…
16/09/2021
Food policy

Read the leading initiatives for more sustainable foods in FAO's handbook

Sustainable food systems are critical to ensure that future generations have access to food and consume healthy meals. Many food…

Vote on European Parliament’s Farm to Fork Strategy report: mostly positive on organic

The Farm to Fork (F2F) strategy, published in May 2020 with a view of holistically transitioning towards more sustainable food…
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…

How are cities engaging with food system transformation? FoodSHIFT webinar, 13 September, 15:00-16:00

City councils – either led by the city government itself or by citizens – are key to involve citizens and…
16/08/2021
Events Seeds

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.…

European Partnership on Safe and Sustainable Food Systems: Narrative and factsheet published

The final consolidated narrative of the future European Partnership on Safe and Sustainable Food Systems for People, Planet and Climate…

Demand better food & farming – Good Food Good Farming European Action Days - 1-31 October 2021

This year, Good Food Good Farming is again organising its European Action Days 1-31 October 2021. Raise your voice, add…
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.…

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.…

Sustainable food systems innovators, read FAO’s handbook!

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the…
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…
19/04/2021
Food policy

Take part in the public consultation on promotion policy and contribute to support sustainable consumption

This year the European Commission earmarked an unprecedented share of €49 million to promote organic production and consumption in the…

New Organic Action Plan: Focus on research & innovation

The new Organic Action Plan (OAP) published at the end of March 2021 recognises that research will be key for…

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…
24/03/2021
Food policy

"Develop a sustainability claim, they said; it will be fun they said" - IFOAM Organics Europe position paper on substantiating claims & Product Environmental Footprint (PEF)

The Farm to Fork strategy reveals that the Commission will set up an EU sustainable food labelling framework, likely as…
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…
23/02/2021
Events GMOs

[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…

IFOAM Organics Europe’s expert session on promotion policies during BIOFACH 2021

During BIOFACH 2021, IFOAM Organics Europe’s Food Policy Officer Silvia Schmidt organized an “Ask the Expert” Session on the Commission’s…
11/02/2021
Events GMOs

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…

Political hotspot February 2021 newsletter

To help realise the European Green Deal’s shift to more sustainable food systems, the European Commission earmarked an unprecedented share…

Welcome note February 2021 newsletter

Dear readers,   On behalf of the European organic movement, I would like to welcome you back after the winter break…
 
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