News
Food companies, raise your voice for strict legislation on new GMOs ('new genomic techniques'), sign our joint European letter
A legislative proposal on new GMOs, with broad repercussions for the day-to-day work of organic and GMO-free processors, retailers and…
Political Hotspot June 2024
Ongoing farmers’ protests highlight the need to address concerns about unfair pricing and competition in European agriculture. The objectives laid…
Welcome Note June 2024
Dear reader, Welcome to our last newsletter edition before the EU elections and summer break. In only a few days…
New genomic techniques, what comes up?
Despite significant political pressure to reach an agreement among the EU institutions before the European elections in June 2024, the…
02/05/2024
Seeds
Plant Reproductive Material Regulation legislation could advance organic plant breeding
On 24 April, the European Parliament voted on the Plant Reproductive Material Regulation (PRM) legislation. Members of the European Parliament…
Organic movement meets Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
On 26 April, IFOAM Organics Europe met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for a discussion on the…
EU Parliament advances organic plant breeding with new PRM legislation vote
BRUSSELS, 24 APRIL 2024 – Today’s vote on the Plant Reproductive Material Regulation (PRM) legislation could contribute to a balanced regulation…
Nature restoration in jeopardy – Member States’ Environment Ministers endanger another EU law
After reaching a trilogue agreement on the Nature Restoration Law last November, adoption of a piece of European Union legislation…
Organics Europe's stance on Member State's efforts to delay anti-deforestation law (EUDR)
Some EU Member States, spearheaded by Austria and endorsed by Finland, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Sweden, are trying to weaken…
Research call ‘Fostering agroecology at farm & landscape levels’ open
The new European Research & Innovation Partnership AGROECOLOGY has launched its first call “Fostering agroecology at farm and landscape levels”.…
Proposal integrated Plant Reproductive Material Regulation improves after Parliament’s inputs
The EU is revising legislation on plant reproductive material, such as seeds, cuttings, trees, roots, tubers, and clones. Currently, rules…
IFOAM Organics Europe welcomes AGRI Committee vote on Plant Reproductive Material
BRUSSELS, 19 MARCH 2024 – The European organic movement considers today’s vote on the Plant Reproductive Material Regulation (PRM) legislation an…
OrganicAdviceNetwork project, the first Europe-wide network for organic advisors, starting soon!
As the EU Farm-to-Fork Strategy aims to achieve 25% of organic farmland in the EU by 2030, new organic farmers…
New faces and new projects in the Research & Innovation Unit
A new year means new research and innovation (R&I) projects! Several new Horizon Europe projects in which IFOAM Organics Europe…
Organic farmers call for fair prices and recognition of public goods delivery
BRUSSELS, 1 FEBRUARY 2024 – As thousands of organic farmers have joined protests across Europe, the organic food and farming…
IFOAM Organics Europe welcomes Strategic Dialogue on the Future of Agriculture
BRUSSELS, 25 JANUARY 2024 – On the occasion of the launch of the strategic dialogue on the future of agriculture,…
Entrepreneurship in the organic seeds and breeding sector
Are you an organic farmers or SME managers who is involved in: Join the webinar “Entrepreneurship in the organic seeds…
New digital tool for breeders, seed producers & traders
LiveSeeding is an EU-funded project promoting growth of organic seed and plant breeding to transition to more sustainable food systems.…
05/12/2023
Seeds
Parliamentary committees have started work on proposed Plant Reproductive Material regulation
The AGRI and ENVI parliamentary committees have started their work on the proposed Plant Reproductive Material (PRM) regulation, a file…
Agreement on nature restoration law: Important signal to transform farming
Negotiators from the European Parliament and Council reached a final agreement on the Nature Restoration Law (NRL). As European organic…
Commission President, ensure a framework for Sustainable Food Systems
The current EU Commission promised to transition to more sustainable, healthier, and affordable diets. This is both their commitment to…
Organic research & innovation to deliver sustainable food & farming systems – TP Organics position paper
TP Organics’ new position paper puts forward priorities for the third and final Work Programme of Horizon Europe (2025-2027) –…
Six-fold increase in organic seeds needed in the next ten years in Europe – 2nd European Organic Seed Policy Conference shows pathways to make organic seeds a reality
The Spanish Presidency of the European Union put a spotlight on rural areas and agricultural resilience during a High-level Rural…
Organic and agroecological farming are best guarantee for long-term food security, says new TP Organics policy brief
TP Organics, the European Technology Platform for Research & Innovation into Organics and Agroecology hosted by IFOAM Organics Europe, has…
"Organic and agroecological farming are the best guarantee for long-term food security", says new TP Organics Policy Brief
BRUSSELS, 5 SEPTEMBER 2023 – At today’s high-level expert webinar “Safeguarding long-term food security”, TP Organics, the European Technology Platform…
Registrations open for the Organic Seed Policy Conference to be held in Poland
In the context of the LiveSeeding project, where IFOAM Organics Europe is a partner, a public Organic Seed Policy Conference…
300+ organizations unite to send strong signal to Frans Timmermans, demanding a shift to evidence-based sustainability food systems rather than unfounded hope on new GMOs
More than 300 organizations signed a letter sent to Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal in the…
We want to be able to choose! Ensure GMO-free food production.
Update 23.03.2023: Junges Bioland initiated an online petition on this topic, addressed to Olaf Scholz, Germany’s Prime Minister, and to…
Scientific study shows synthetic pesticides significantly more dangerous than natural ones
More organic farming means less pesticide use and risk BRUSSELS, VIENNA, 23 FEBRUARY 2023 – The European Green Deal’s targets of…
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…
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…
Representing organic at Bucharest Leaders’ Summit – The role of organic in the EU Green Deal
On 10 November 2022, our Director Eduardo Cuoco joined the Bucharest Leaders’ Summit via livestream. During a session on sustainable…
10/11/2022
Textiles
NGOs demand adequate methodologies in upcoming legal proposal on green claims– also for apparel & footwear
The European Commission’s is working on an upcoming legislative proposal to help justify (‘substantiate’) green claims and prevent greenwashing. However,…
Farmers at the centre of research, innovation & knowledge exchange in TP Organics new study
Organic living labs and lighthouse farms in Europe is a brand new study by TP Organics, the European technology platform…
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…
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…
25/08/2022
Textiles
New position paper on organic textiles in a context of strong political momentum
IFOAM Organics Europe published its revised position paper Organic textiles – Protecting the credibility of the organic label. The publication…
29/07/2022
Seeds
European Parliamentarians, NGOs and organic sector discuss seed marketing rules
Before the European Parliament’s summer break, the political process reviewing seed marketing rules kickstarted with an event on 22 June.…
28/07/2022
EU Green Deal
Situation in the Ukrainian organic sector as of July 2022
This is a press release of Organic Initiative on the situation in the Ukrainian organic sector after 5 months of…
24/06/2022
Textiles
The importance of an organic label for textiles
What is the issue with textiles?The organic textile market is rapidly growing and the textile industry may be victim of…
Nature restoration law is published
On 22 June the European Commission published the proposal of a Nature Restoration Law together with the Sustainable Use of…
24/06/2022
Agroecology
Update on EU Research & Innovation Partnerships on Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems
TP Organics, follows the development and implementation of two new European Research & Innovation Partnerships that will be launched in…
Welcome note May 2022 Newsletter
Dear readers, I would like to thank you for the enthusiasm and the support you have given IFOAM Organics Europe…
16/05/2022
Textiles
EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles: Shortcomings and promises
On 30 March, the European Commission published its strategy for sustainable and circular textiles. This strategy is part of the…
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…
Political hotspot March 2022 newsletter
As Russia’s war against Ukraine continues to rage, the EU Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategies, key parts of the…
24/03/2022
Seeds
New rules vegetative plant reproductive material for organic production
While the new EU Organic Regulation officially entered into force on 1 January of this year, not all details were…
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…
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…