News
Political Hotspot September 2024
In June 2024, EU citizens elected a new European Parliament, which confirmed Ursula von der Leyen as European Commission President…
Welcome Note September 2024
Welcome to our post-summer newsletter. As summer turns into autumn, we embrace the productive months ahead and use this newsletter…
Future CAP needs reform to deliver on the future of food and farming
Representing almost a third of the EU’s budget, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is crucial to shape the EU’s common…
16/09/2024
Plant health care
Task force on biocontrol starts its work
IFOAM Organics Europe’s new Task Force on Biocontrol will take up its work in September. The group will discuss this…
Building the future of EU agrifood – Encouraging high-level statements at congress’ first day
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2024 – Following the Strategic Dialogue for the future of EU agriculture’s recommendations, many agrifood stakeholders,…
10/09/2024
CAP
Shaping agrifood’s future: Future CAP should empower farmers and ensure agroecological transition
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2024 – Following last week’s recommendations of the strategic dialogue on the future of EU agriculture,…
Driving organic growth? OrganicTargets4EU analysis of CAP Strategic Plans
The OrganicTargets4EU project analysed current organic agricultural and aquaculture policies, revealing increased support for organic agriculture following legislative initiatives by…
Civil society is taking the CAP by storm: What happened, what's next and how to get involved?
The Good Food Good Farming campaign mobilised ahead of the European elections, organising a stunt under the motto We can’t eat…
EU Organic Regulation updates: FAQ on organic rules & second list of compliant control bodies
The Commission has updated its Frequently asked questions on organic rules with new topics. It now also clarifies questions on:…
These organic practitioners are an inspiration for food and farming
A farmer creating new organic varieties to combat biodiversity loss, a city setting up food production sites where people from…
Challenges and opportunities facing organic & how policies can be part of the solution
Ahead of the EU elections, our Director, Eduardo Cuoco was interviewed about the current challenges organic faces. In two pieces…
24 finalists highlight excellent examples of EU organic from field to fork
On 19 July, the EU Commission revealed the finalists of the 2024 EU Organic Awards, the EU-wide yearly initiative recognising organic…
CDG meeting on organic farming: Agroforestry, plant protection & compliance
Organic stakeholders exchanged with the Commission on synergies between agroforestry and organic, plant protection products and the regulatory switch from…
Positive steps for EU’s resilience in Council decisions on nature restoration, soil monitoring law & green claims
On 17 June, European legislation on soil, nature, and environmental labelling took a few steps forward as the Council of…
Read our June newsletter! Here's what you can expect.
We just published our latest newsletter, the last one before the European elections and the summer break. Wondering what’s in…
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…
Open webinar on biodiversity management in organic greenhouses
We are organising a series of free and open webinars relevant to organic farming as part of our involvement in…
04/06/2024
Labelling
ECOSCORE: organic farming organisations reach an agreement ending legal procedures with ADEME, YUKA and its partners [EN+FR versions]
[French version below] BRUSSELS, PARIS, 4 JUNE 2024 – “In January 2023, the European federation of organic agriculture (IFOAM ORGANICS…
NGOs call for climate action & fair agrifood systems – 31 May; 1 June & throughout October
On 31 May, the NGOs who are part of the Good Food Good Farming coalition gathered in Brussels for its…
31/05/2024
Plant health care
Policies should promote uptake of biocontrol
The European organic movement and international biocontrol manufacturers call on the European Commission to ensure faster registration and uptake of…
17/05/2024
CAP
CAP “simplification”: Missed opportunity fails to answer farmers’ demands
Following farmers’ protests, the European Commission proposed a Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform which has now been approved in votes…
Technical workshops future CAP – From food security to solidarity & rural areas
On 16-17 May 2024 the European Commission organised the last technical workshop for Solidarity and Rural Communities in the next…
08/05/2024
Fairness & transparency
Commission's proposed measures on unfair trading practices
In April 2024, the European Commission unveiled its non-paper Position of farmers in the food supply chain: next steps. In…
10 more days for organic excellence to apply to the EU Organic Awards - 12 May!
Applications for the third edition of the EU Organic Awards will close next week Sunday on 12 May 2024. Does one immediately…
26/04/2024
Plant health care
IBMA and IFOAM Organics Europe call for policies to promote the uptake of biocontrol
IFOAM Organics Europe and the International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association (IBMA) call for policies to promote the uptake of safe, environmentally…
24/04/2024
CAP
Vote on CAP simplification, a missed opportunity for farmers & citizens
BRUSSELS, 24 APRIL 2024 – Today’s vote in the European Parliament simplifying certain Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) rules will not…
Get inspired by excellent examples carrying out organic’s values
In recent years, the European Union has developed a long-term strategy to become climate neutral: the EU Green Deal. Among…
04/04/2024
CAP
A CAP simplification without vision – Farmers and organic sector’s demands left behind
On 15 March the Commission unveiled its long-awaited proposal to review the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to further support farmers.…
Apply to be the next winner of the European Organic Awards 2024!
Applications for the third edition of the EU Organic Awards will close on 12 May 2024. If you know of…
31/03/2024
CAP
Launch of organic farmers subgroup on post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy
Our Interest Group of Organic Farmers (IGOF) launched its subgroup on the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). While the current…
IFOAM Organics Europe regrets a CAP simplification without vision
BRUSSELS, 15 MARCH 2024 – IFOAM Organics Europe warns that the CAP simplification proposal presented today by the Commission is…
Parliament’s vote on Green Claims Directive: IFOAM Organics Europe welcomes efforts to curb greenwashing and the acknowledgement of specific environmental assessment needs for agri-food
BRUSSELS, 12 MARCH 2024 – IFOAM Organics Europe welcomes today’s plenary vote on the directive on green claims. This directive…
07/03/2024
CAP
Organic movement’s voice in the Civil Dialogue Group on Environment, Climate and the CAP
As IFOAM Organics Europe, our members and experts regularly advise and discuss policy options with the Commission and other stakeholders…
Green claims: organic movement applauds renewed recognition of PEF's shortcomings for agrifood
BRUSSELS, 14 FEBRUARY 2024 – IFOAM Organics Europe welcomes today’s vote on green claims as it underscores the limitations of…
Von der Leyen yields to farmer’s groups demands to shelve the Sustainable Use of Pesticide Regulation proposal
This week the European Commission’s President Ursula von der Leyen announced in a concession to farmers, after weeks of protests…
Green Claims: Organics Europe highlights Product Environmental Footprint method's shortcomings for agri-food
BRUSSELS, 23 JANUARY 2024 – As compromise amendment negotiations on the Green Claims Directive proposal are taking place within the…
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…
All CAP Strategic Plans approved, just like Parliament’s report on long-term vision for rural areas
On 13 December, the European Commission approved the last national Common Agricultural Policy’s (CAP) Strategic Plan and the European Parliament…
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…
Green claims: better methodologies to assess environmental performance of food & textiles products
BRUSSELS, 29 NOVEMBER 2022 – IFOAM Organics Europe welcomes news about the Commission’s decision to postpone the publication of the…
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…