News
Political hotspot December 2021 newsletter
On 23 November, the European Parliament approved the new CAP (2023-2027) Regulations. Now, Member States’ CAP Strategic Plans will be…
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…
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.…
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…
Over 1 million signatures demanding a restoration of biodiversity & support for farmers
Across Europe, more than 1 million citizens are calling for a reduction of 80% in the use of synthetic pesticides…
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…
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…
Welcome note June 2021 newsletter
Dear readers, I am glad to tell you that IFOAM Organics Europe organised another successful digital edition of our European…
21/06/2021
Biodiversity
CAP
Climate change
EU Green Deal
Events
Farm to Fork
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 Green Deal
Events
Farm to Fork
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…
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…
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…
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…
Towards a new framework for EU soils?
Soil is a non-renewable resource key to all growing and living on it. Part of the EU Biodiversity strategy for…
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…
European Commission’s Soil Strategy
Healthy soils are essential to meet climate and biodiversity goals set by the European Green Deal. As part of the…
01/03/2021
Fairness & transparency
Two months left to transpose the EU Unfair Trading Practices Directive
Only two months are left before the deadline for EU Member States to transpose the 2019 EU rules on Unfair…
[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…
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…
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…
02/02/2021
GMOs
Detection Cibus’ GM-canola: An update
A regulation is only worth so much as it can be enforced. This is why on 7 September 2020, an…
Register now for our public event “GMOs and gene editing in agriculture: the benefits of regulation” - 10 February, online
How does organic & non-organic food and farming avoid contamination with GMOs? Why is it so relevant for food production…
The European organic movement welcomes opportunities promoting organic agriculture in the European Commission's promotion policy work programme
The European organic movement welcomes the special attention reserved to organic agriculture in the European Commission’s promotion policy work programme.…
Welcome note November 2020 newsletter
Dear readers, I would like to use this opportunity to look back on a turbulent year, marked with great successes…
Political hotspot November 2020 newsletter
The European Commission is set to publish the next European organic action plan (OAP) at the beginning of next year.…
Our suggestions for the new Organic Action plan
The Commission is set to publish the next European organic action plan at the beginning of next year and has…
Joint letter calling for balanced speaker representation at forthcoming EU Agricultural Outlook Conference
IFOAM Organics Europe, Slow Food, European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC), and others call for balanced representation in terms of speakers…
New organic regulations published
Application of the new EU Organic Regulation Originally, the new EU Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848 was set to apply from 1…
How will the EU Green Deal change Europe’s food prices change? Join our colleague Silvia online to get an idea!
On 12 November from 15:30-17:00, Silvia Schmidt, our food policy officer, will take part to the online event “The Green…
Political hotspot October 2020 newsletter
On 19–20 October, EU-27 agriculture ministers met in Luxembourg to adopt their general approach on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).…
CAP ‘reform’: Parliament's small steps not good enough for a green transformation of food and farming
BRUSSELS, 23 OCTOBER 2020 – This week, Members of the European Parliament voted on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and Agriculture Ministers reached an…
Organic Movement calls on MEPs to align the CAP with the Green Deal ambitions
IFOAM Organics Europe has sent a press release to all Members of the European Parliament as they are voting on…
The Commission’s first Farm to Fork conference – Review & highlights - 15-16 October 2020, online
The European Commission’s first Farm to Fork conference took place on 15–16 October 2020 and focused on how to build…
15/10/2020
COVID19
European Parliament pushes for fast recovery aid
On 13 October, the Agriculture Committee of the European Parliament voted for a fast, targeted and sustainable recovery package for…
Open letter calling for full alignment of the reformed CAP with the European Green Deal
Together with NGOS and national coalitions from across Europe, IFOAM Organics Europe urges the President of the European Commission, the…
Launch of the Green Deal call at the European Research & Innovation Days 2020
From 22-24 September, the European Research and Innovation Days, the European Commission’s annual flagship event, brought together policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs,…
17/09/2020
GMOs
Reveal of a detection method for a gene-edited rapeseed - What is the significance and why is there a controversy?
A regulation is only worth so much as it can be enforced. This is why on 7 September, an open…
07/09/2020
GMOs
First open source detection test for a gene-edited GM crop
This press release was first published by Greenpeace EU Brussels, 07 SEPTEMBER 2020 – Greenpeace, together with other non-governmental organisations,…
European Patent Office: No patents on conventionally bred varieties
On 14 May 2020, the enlarged board of appeal of the European Patent Office (EPO) has released an opinion that…
Welcome note April 2020
Dear readers, For all of us, these days are really challenging. We are facing a crisis where no one can…
Political hotspot April 2020
The current COVID-19 pandemic has far reaching effects on Europe, life as we know it, agriculture and the organic sector.…
21/04/2020
COVID19
COVID-19 – A double-edged sword for the European organic sector
The coronavirus is causing the biggest and most acute crisis Europe faced in the last decades, and it is also…
Open Letter: CSOs open letter on the importance and urgency of publishing the Farm to Fork strategy: no further delays, keep April 2020 as publication date
Brussels, 14 April 2020 To:Executive Vice-President Frans TimmermansCommissioner Stella KyriakidesCommissioner Janusz WojciechowskiCommissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius CC:Anne Bucher, Director-General of DG SANTE…
01/04/2020
COVID19
JOINT LETTER: Measures to support farmers in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic
To: Commissioner WojciechowskiCc: Commissioner Sinkevičius and Commission Executive Vice-President TimmermansEuropean CommissionBerlaymont, Rue de la Loi 2001000 – Brussels 1st April…
European Organic Congress - Registration opening postponed to April 2020
The 2020 edition of the European Organic Congress is scheduled to take place on 1 and 2 July 2020 in Berlin, Germany.…