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22/12/2022
Biodiversity

What the Global Biodiversity Framework means for agriculture

Two years later than initially planned, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, world leaders adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).…

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…

EU pesticides regulation (SUR) under attacks from Member States & industry

The EU Pesticide Reduction proposal SUR has been under attack by lobbyists. They developed a strategy to delay and possibly…

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…

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!…

Agreement on new deforestation law

EU consumption is responsible for around 10% of global deforestation. In the beginning of December, the Council and European Parliament…

Bold pesticide reduction plan faces attack on Saturday

BRUSSELS, 6 DECEMBER 2022 – EU plans to cut pesticide use and risk by half and protect the most sensitive…

Press conference: EU pesticide reduction under fierce attack

In June 2022, the EU Commission presented a legislative proposal on the “sustainable use of plant protection products” (SUR), which…

Political Hotspot - November 2022

The legislative process of revising the EU’s pesticide legislation, the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Regulation (SUR), is full of hurdles,…

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…

1 million EU citizens knock on EU’s door: No synthetic pesticides to save bees & farmers

Over 1 million EU citizens are asking to restore nature, provide healthy food, healthy soil and clean water. On Friday 25…

‘Way forward in organic plant health care strategies’ Conference, 17-18 November 2022, online

On 17 & 18 November, IFOAM Organics Europe, BÖLW and JKI Institüte organised an online conference on the ‘Way forward…
18/11/2022
Events GMOs

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…

Commission's fertiliser communication, short term fixes, no long-term solutions

In its Communication on ensuring availability and affordability of fertilisers, the EU Commission postpones necessary changes to achieve more sustainable food systems by…

Organic movement asks for higher environmental ambition in the upcoming Fertiliser Communication & digitalization of pesticide use data in SAIO’s implementing act 

Upcoming Fertilizers Communication of the Commission  On 24 October, we co-signed a joint letter with 9 NGOs calling on the…
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…
13/10/2022
Events GMOs

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…

Updates on pesticides and recycled nutrients: Regulation (SUR), statistics and data

IFOAM Organics Europe welcomed the Commission’s proposal on the revision of the Sustainable Use of pesticides Regulation (SUR). It could…
14/09/2022
Biodiversity

European Parliament adopts position on deforestation-free products

The European Parliament has voted on its position on the Commission proposal for a regulation on deforestation-free products. On 13…

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…

Got pesticides in your body? It’s your last chance to find out

Pesticides threaten our food and farming systems.They kill pollinators like bees, reduce the quality of soils, endanger the health of…
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…

Contribute to the Commission’s consultation on the future EU integrated nutrient management action plan (INMAP)

The Commission is preparing an Integrated Nutrient Management Action Plan (INMAP) as announced in the EU Biodiversity and Farm to…

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…

Do you have pesticides in your body? Join the pesticide check-up and find out

Pesticides are a serious threat to our food and farming systems. On the field, they kill pollinators like bees and…

Agreement on agricultural statistics (SAIO)

On Thursday 2 June, the Council of the EU and the European Parliament reached an agreement on the new EU…

Alternatives to contentious input in organic - Heritage of RELACS project

The RELACS project developed and researched alternatives to contentious inputs in organic crop production – copper and mineral oils, nutrient…

Wrapping up the RELACS project: Policy roadmaps, videos & other publications

The RELACS project, which aims at finding alternatives to contentious inputs in organic farming, came to an end on 29…
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…

Policy instruments & voluntary initiatives for reducing contentious inputs in organic farming

The RELACS project released a new scientific paper by Varga et al., 2022, analysing existing policy instruments and voluntary initiatives in…

Commission delays proposal for Regulation on the sustainable use of pesticides

On 23 March, the European Commission was supposed to publish a proposal for a Regulation on the Sustainable Use of…

Expert on recycled fertilisers? Join our Task Force on Recycled Fertilisers

IFOAM Organics Europe’s Board created a Task Force on Recycled Fertilisers. This decision comes in the context of the “Integrated…

Soil Health Law: Organic movement’s contribution to public consultation

60-70% of soils in the EU are not healthy and the EU still lacks a comprehensive soil protection policy. In…
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…
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…

EU organic movement calls on Member States to provide reliable data on organic and other Farm to Fork targets

BRUSSELS, 2 FEBRUARY 2022 – As the first trialogue on the Regulation on Statistics on Agricultural Inputs and Outputs (SAIO)…

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…

Join pan-European testing for pesticide residues during #GoodFoodGoodFarming action month in October 2022

In the bodies of farm workers and city inhabitants, in people’s bedrooms and children’s playgrounds – pesticide residues at harmful…

Registration to IFOAM Organics Europe Meets Business 2020 closes next week. Secure your spot!

IFOAM Organics Europe Meets Business 2020 is around the corner! In a little more than two weeks we will meet…
23/11/2020
Biodiversity

Sign the petition to call on Europe to save the bees and farmers!

More than 400.000 participants have already signed the European Citizens’ Initiative to ‘Save bees and farmers’ and you can add…

1 million citizens are calling on the Commission: Our forests are in danger, act now!

One million people demand EU law to stop deforestation More than a million people have so far called for a…

RELACS project on track despite Covid-19: First digital annual meeting - 10-12 November, online

The RELACS project’s third annual meeting took place digitally 10-12 November. It demonstrated that research in all work packages is…

IFOAM Organics Europe meets business – Agenda available! 8-9 December, online

Save the date for the next “IFOAM Organics Europe meets business” taking place online on 8-9 December 2020. “Bringing the…
15/10/2020
Biodiversity

Why is it important to save the bees and farmers? Watch this video

As part of their ongoing campaign, the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) ‘Save bees and farmers!’ has released a set of…

Replacement of copper in organic farming – First results of RELACS experiments conducted by ÖMKi

Copper is currently used as a plant protection product (PPP) and/or leaf fertilizer in organic and conventional farming in several…
 
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