Welcome Note December 2024
Dear reader,
Welcome to our last newsletter edition in 2024. An eventful year is coming to an end, setting the course for the EU’s upcoming five years legislative period.
The approval of the College of Commissioners by the European Parliament, paved the way for the second von der Leyen Commission to take office on 1 December. The new Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen is expected to present his Vision for Agriculture and Food in the first 100 days of his mandate. The European organic movement has clear recommendations for this vision – what we want to achieve in our political hotspot.
At the same time, June’s EU elections resulted in stronger right and extreme right parties and therefore new majorities in the European Parliament. The impact of this could be seen already during the vote to postpone the EU deforestation law, which was taken as an opportunity to also introduce additional amendments.
As EU organic movement, we are ready to work with the new European Commission to ensure the sustainable transformation of our food system and more vibrant and resilient rural communities. Organic agriculture is at the forefront of this transition, representing a long-term EU project that delivers significant environmental and socio-economic benefits!
Meanwhile, we had the chance to gather with the global organic movement during the 21st IFOAM Organic World Congress in Taiwan from 2–4 December, bringing 500 participants from all over the organic world together. Under the topic of “Cultivating organic solutions for true sustainability”, my colleagues and I had important discussions on the future of organic.
We delved into the intersection of organic and regenerative and how to strategically position organic within the regenerative narrative to impact policy and elevate truly transformative solutions. We discussed synergies and possible opportunities from collaborations with serious regenerative actors and how to address misconceptions. Key takeaways included opportunities to learn from each other in terms of communication, enhancing the visibility of organic agriculture to secure funding, and tackling greenwashing risks associated with the term “regenerative.”
Additionally, we discussed how organic can respond to emerging market developments, particularly in terms of disclosure and reporting frameworks. It is evident that the holistic benefits of organic need to be appropriately reflected in sustainability standards and measurements. Our discussion emphasised strategic positioning to influence policy and generate actionable insights.
As I look back on my time at this year’s Organic World Congress, I am filled with gratitude and inspiration. The Congress provided a unique opportunity to connect with the global organic movement, exchange ideas, and witness firsthand the incredible work being done to drive organic farming forward in every corner of the world.
The beginning of next year will be decisive to shape the direction of the new political mandate in the EU. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay tuned for our upcoming ‘Outlook in 2025’ newsletter – which we will translate for our members.
Together, we look forward to advancing our shared vision of a more sustainable and resilient agrifood system for Europe, with organic agriculture at the forefront of this transformative journey.
Wishing you a joyful end of the year and happy holidays!
… and don’t panic, the future is organic!
Eduardo Cuoco
IFOAM Organics Europe’s Director