Review of events – July 2025

Webinar ‘Impact of the New EU Organic Regulation on International Trade’

The organic regulatory framework has concluded an important stage of completeness with its extension to third countries. As of 1 January 2025, organic products produced in third countries can be sold in the EU market as organic if they are certified by a control body approved by the EU Commission for compliance. Approval assessments and regulations to make the system fit for the new import purpose have been concluded in time until the end of last year, however a few elements are still missing, such as the list of input products and substances authorised for use in organic production specifically in third countries.

To assess the real-world impact of these regulatory changes, IFOAM Organics Europe and Natexpo organised a joint webinar offering a crucial discussion for stakeholders involved in organic trade, certification, and regulation. The webinar provided valuable insights into how the first three months of implementation have unfolded. Expert speakers:

Evaluated the successes and challenges of the transition period
Discussed key issues in importing organic products under the new system
Explored implications for the export of EU organic products

Let’s Discuss Organic: Sessions 5 & 6

Every month, Let’s Discuss Organic hosts live online sessions that feature expert speakers and interactive discussions on various topics related to organic farming. As a member, you’ll have the chance to enhance your knowledge, exchange ideas, and network with individuals who share your interests. In addition, members can access recordings of each session anytime in the members’ extranet.

Session 5, 15 May – Sustainable Public Procurement: opportunities for the organic sector in Europe: In this Let’s Discuss Organic session, we explored the opportunities that public procurement offers to the organic sector. We began by examining the current landscape of public procurement in the EU, focusing on the regulations that govern it. We also looked at some best practices carried out by our members when it comes to organic food procurement and to legislative opportunities, ensuring a stronger participation of organic in the procurement market.
Session 6, 5 June – The future of the Common Agricultural Policy beyond 2027: The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which accounts for approximately one-third of the EU budget, plays a central role in shaping the EU’s agri-food system. It provides decent incomes for farmers while also driving the transition to more sustainable production methods, such as organic farming. Although the current CAP will remain in place until 2027, public institutions and various stakeholders already look forward to the next reform for the CAP 2027 – 2032. This session explored the ongoing discussions in Brussels surrounding the upcoming CAP and present the vision of the organic movement for this reform to come.

As a member, you can register using the registration link on our member extranet. For information about what you can gain from being a member, read our membership page and contact membership@organicseurope.bio.

European Organic Congress 2025 – Strengthening Organic Roots for a Competitive & Sustainable 2050

European Organic Congress (EOC) was held on 25-27 June 2025 in Warsaw, Poland, kicking off with IFOAM Organics Europe’s General Assembly on the morning of 25 June, organised in a hybrid format. Over the course of two days, this year’s edition explored how to build on the sector’s strong foundation to shape an innovative and resilient future. This year, exceptionally, IFOAM Organics Europe’s General Assembly was held jointly with the EOC on the morning of 25 June in a hybrid format.

Hosted within the framework of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU, this year’s edition was co-organised with PIZE – Polish Chamber of Organic Food and the Polish Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

What happened at EOC 2025

Each year, the Congress brings together policymakers, organic sector leaders, researchers, and experts to discuss the most pressing issues shaping the future of organic. This year’s edition focused on strengthening organic roots for a competitive and sustainable 2050.

The Congress featured a wide range of sessions fostering active participation and leading to insightful and productive exchanges among stakeholders. Topics included the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), new genomic techniques (NGTs), pesticide reduction, generational renewal, the EU organic regulation, market trends, and more.

Read the key takeaways from the event here.

Sustainable Foods Summit 2025: Reaffirming the role of organic in building sustainable and resilient food systems

We were happy to partner with the Sustainable Foods Summit (SFS) for yet another year; this year’s conference took place on 26-27 June 2025.

On Friday, 27 June, IFOAM Organics Europe joined the discussion on sustainability schemes alongside Luis Carazo Jimenez, Head of the Organic Unit at the European Commission’s DG AGRI. During the discussion, we highlighted that organic is the dominant sustainability scheme for food in Europe. Here is why:

Legally defined: Organic is the only sustainability standard in agriculture regulated by EU law.
Transparent and traceable: The EU legal framework ensures clear rules and full supply chain transparency.
Trusted by consumers: The EU organic logo is the most recognised food label by Eruopean consumers.
Systemic benefits across all aspects of sustainability: Organic farming delivers environmental, economic, and social value.
A growing and stable market: The organic market continues to expand, reaching €51 billion in EU retail sales in 2023.

To fully unlock its potential, policy support is essential. Two key policy tools to sustain both demand and production of organic products are:

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). While the CAP holds significant potential to promote sustainable practices, it currently lacks sufficient incentives for the transition to and maintenance of organic farming. Our recent Vision of the organic movement for the CAP post-2027 calls for increased support towards system-based approaches like organic, reflecting the multiple benefits that it delivers.
Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP). SPP represents a strategic opportunity to increase the demand for organic and other sustainable products, as explained in the Food Policy Coalition’s policy paper and Manifesto for establishing minimum standards in public canteens, to which IFOAM Organics Europe contributed. Leveraging its huge financial weight more effectively, SPP can improve food environments and deliver long-term benefits for society, within the same budget.

The bottom line? With the right policy framework in place, organic farming is an easy and powerful tool for building resilient and competitive food systems and advancing sustainability in Europe.

The work of IFOAM Organics Europe on this topic is co-financed by the LIFE programme of the European Union, under the Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). This page only reflects the views of the authors and its sole responsibility lies with IFOAM Organics Europe. The CINEA is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information provided.