IFOAM Organics Europe partners with NATEXPO for a fairer and more transparent EU food system
IFOAM Organics Europe is glad to represent the European perspective at NATEXPO for another year. NATEXPO is the leading international trade show for organic products, taking place on 22-24 October in Paris, France. The fair expects more than 1,400 exhibitors and brands, including a significant international participation, and will be the occasion to combine the respective unique strengths and resources to advance sustainable development in the organic sector.
In the framework of this partnership, our Director Eduardo Cuoco has released a short interview, presenting some of the most pressing issues on the political agenda urged to be considered by the organic movement. In particular, he focused on Green Claims, the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF), and greenwashing when it comes to sustainability labelling. Interested? Have a look at the video.
Do you wish to visit NATEXPO on 22–24 October? Get your free visitor pass here and plan your journey to Paris!
.@Natexpo will take place on 22-24 Oct in 🇫🇷 , and we'll be there! Meanwhile, check out this 📽️ w/Director @EduardoCuoco focusing on #GreenClaims, the #PEF, and why this method is ill-suited for measuring environmental performance of bio-based products 👉 https://t.co/vQuY0agyXD
— IFOAM Organics Europe (@OrganicsEurope) July 27, 2023
Background information
On 22 March 2023, the Commission proposed a Directive on substantiating green claims, originally based on the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF), a methodology that is not accurate for the environmental assessment of agri-food products and would ultimately lead to greenwashing. Our advocacy work has greatly contributed to adjusting of the Directive, namely by giving the biased PEF methodology a far less prominent place in it. The Green Claims Directive is echoing with another piece of legislation expected for 2023: the legislative framework for Sustainable Food Systems. As part of this framework, the Commission intends to create a sustainable labelling framework, therefore, these two Commission proposals could be heavily intertwined. This is why the organic sector needs to remain mobilized to give accurate information to consumers regarding their food choices and prevent the PEF from becoming the default methodology for the European food market.