News
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…
16/12/2022
Plant health care
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!…
06/12/2022
Plant health care
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…
24/11/2022
Plant health care
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…
09/11/2022
Plant health care
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…
03/11/2022
Plant health care
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…
28/10/2022
Organic regulations
Changes in regulation on recognition of control authorities & bodies for the purpose of import of organic products into the EU
While the EU Organic Regulation 2018/848 has been in force since the start of the year, implementing regulation that specify…
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…
28/06/2022
Organic regulations
IFOAM Organics Europe launches a guideline on the use of Flavourings in Organic Food
One of the new EU Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848’s novelties is the restriction of the use of natural flavourings in…
28/06/2022
Plant health care
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…
20/06/2022
Plant health care
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…
09/06/2022
Plant health care
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…
06/06/2022
Plant health care
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…
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…
Welcome note March 2022 newsletter
Dear readers, These are troubling times for Europe and the world. On top of climate and biodiversity crises we now…
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…
23/03/2022
Plant health care
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…
22/03/2022
Organic regulations
Guidelines to help interpret EU Organic Regulation now online
After a 10-year long process, the new EU Organic Regulation has started to apply on 1 January 2022. The basic…
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…
Welcome note February 2022 newsletter
Dear Readers, I would like to welcome you back after the winter break and take this opportunity to wish you…
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…
18/01/2022
Plant health care
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…
05/01/2022
Organic regulations
New EU Organic Regulation: Guidelines & main changes
After a 10-year long process, the new EU Organic Regulation has started to apply on 1 January 2022. The basic…
05/01/2022
Organic regulations
Update on consolidated version of Regulation (EU) 2018/848
After ten years of activities, the New EU Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848 has entered into application. As expected, many delegated…
IFOAM Organics Europe Meets Business online – a successful event! 8-9 December 2020, online
On 8-9 December 2020, 80 participants, from all walks of the organic supply chain and beyond, joined the 3rd edition…
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…
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…
18/11/2020
Organic regulations
Rewatch the webinar on the regulatory changes of the new EU Organic Regulation relevant to the Global South
Did you miss the web meeting organized by the International Trade Centre on the new Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848? Would…
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…
13/11/2020
Plant health care
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…
27/10/2020
Organic regulations
EGTOP reports on cleaning & disinfection and potassium available on Commission website
The Expert Group for Technical Advice on Organic Production (EGTOP) published two new reports. The first one is a draft…
19/10/2020
Organic regulations
Organic movement welcomes one-year postponement of the new Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848 implementation
The new EU Organic Regulation (EU) 20 18/848 was set to apply from 1 January 2021. As the development of…
14/10/2020
Organic regulations
Webinar on the new EU Organic Regulation: What is going to change?
International Trade Centre organized a web meeting on the main changes that the implementation of the new Organic Regulation (EU)…
Welcome note September 2020 newsletter
Dear readers, On behalf of the European organic movement, I would like to welcome you back after the summer break.…
25/09/2020
Organic regulations
Postponement of the organic regulation & Organic Action Plan consultation
On 4 September 2020, important steps on two important Commission’s files were taken. Firstly, the EU Commission submitted a proposal…
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…
IFOAM Organics Europe welcomes public consultation on new EU Organic Action Plan and additional time to finalize new organic rules
BRUSSELS, 4 SEPTEMBER 2020 – The organic food and farming movement welcomes the announcement today by the Commission that the…