Read the full Press Release here.
Hundreds join Good Food March in Brussels for radical farming reform
Brussels, September 19 2012 - Hundreds of people gathered today in Brussels to call for radical changes to food and farming policy in Europe. Farmers, citizens, and young people from more than 20 European countries took part in the final day of the Good Food March and brought their demands for the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) directly to those responsible for its reform.
Among other things, the Good Food March is calling for fairer and greener farming, an end to food speculation, support for sustainable family farms – especially organic farming, fair prices for farmers, a grassroots based rural development policy, and increased cultivation of local protein crops – rather than importing soy to feed Europe's farm animals.
Read the full Press Release
here.
Ministers must push real CAP reform to protect EU water and soil resources
Brussels, September 10 2012 - Informal farm minister meeting must recognise potential of organic farming systems to deliver sustainability benefits under CAP. On the occasion of today’s Informal Council of EU Farm Ministers, where the management of the EU’s land, soil and waters resources are discussed, the IFOAM EU Group reminds the Ministers that the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budget must be used to effectively ensure the shift towards a sustainable food system, especially as financial means are under pressure as well as natural resources.
Read the full Press Release
here.
European citizens must stand up for diversity on our plates!
Brussels, July 12 2012 - Today, the European Court of Justice published its judgement concerning the use of rare variety seeds and declared that the EU's seed marketing laws are valid and appropriate. 'This judgement is no good news for all those who want a wide diversity of colourful and tasty tomatoes and peppers on their plates', commented Dorota Metera, Vice President of the IFOAM EU Group.
Read the full Press Release here.
IFOAM EU welcomes the Commission's new head of unit for organic farming and bids farewell and thanks to his predecessor
Brussels, July 2 2012 - The IFOAM EU Group would like to welcome the new head of unit for organic farming in the European Commission, DG Agriculture, Mr Joao Onofre, who began in his new post on the 1 July. It also wishes to bid farewell and offers its thanks to his predecessor, Jean Francois Hulot for his five years of dedicated work for organic farming within the European Commission.
Read the full Press Release here.
European Parliament must raise level of ambition to increase sustainability across EU farming
Brussels, 19 June 2012- Today the European Parliament's Agriculture and Rural Development Committee Rapporteur Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos MEP under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2014-2020.
EU leaders need to put environmental leadership into effect
Council Conclusions on 7th EAP must be followed by ambitious implementation
Brussels, 11 June 2012-Today the EU-27 environmental ministers have adopted their recommendations on the 7th Environmental Action Programme.
“We welcome that Environmental Ministers are committed to a 7thEnvironmental Action Programme (EAP), as the EAP can serve as driving force for European Environmental Policy“, said Marco Schlüter, Director of the IFOAM EU Group. "However in order to make EU environmental leadership happen, and to ensure we meet our international obligations including our commitments in the Rio+20 process this decision must be followed by concrete action.
Crop rotation and increase legume cultivation are essential for future farming
Brussels, 30 May 2012- experts outline that sustainable cropping systems can deliver multiple benefits for farmers and society. Friends of the Earth Europe, the IFOAM EU Group and the Pesticide Action Network Europe organised a conference on ''Crop Rotation and Legume Production: Cultivating a More Sustainable and Resource Efficient Farming Policy'' in the European Parliament on the 29 May 2012, in cooperation with S&D MEP Karin Kadenbach and Green MEP Martin Hausling.
Read more in the IFOAM EU Press Release
Seed diversity decline must urgently
be stopped
Civil Society urges EU law-makers to come up with an environment, farmer and consumer friendly review of the legislation on the marketing of Seed and Propagating Material (S&PM)
Brussels, 24/05/2012-A broad coalition of over 240 civil society organizations and enterprises from 40 countries from the EU, the EFTA, candidate countries and from 6 continents urged European leaders to reverse the disastrous decline in biodiversity in Europe.
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Commission report to the Council opens a debate among stakeholders on the further development of EU Organic Regulations
Brussels 14/05/2012- The public debate on further development of EU Organic Regulations opens after Commission has published its report on the application of Regulation (EC) No834/2007.
The IFOAM EU Group acknowledges the need for detailed analysis of potential challenges and support a focused improvement of the organic regulation where and if necessary. It needs to be highlighted that this debate may be concluded with specific legal proposals to amend Regulation (EC) No834/2007 at the end of 2013.
The IFOAM EU Group dossier on the organic regulation: European Organic Regulations (EC) 834/2007, 889/2008 and 1235/2008- An evaluation of the first three years- Looking for further development, published in April, provides the context and background for this debate on review and evaluation of EU Organic Regulations.
Read more.
Organic farming must be at the heart of CAP reform
- Two day European Organic Congress began today in Denmark with about 200 participants
- High level speakers underline the role of organic farming in the CAP reform
- IFOAM EU Group launches dossier to evaluate organic regulations
- Denmark presents plan to reach 60% organic food in public canteens
Copenhagen, 17 April 2012 - The 6th European Organic Congress "Smart change - towards a sustainable CAP" started this morning with a high level policy panel discussing the CAP reform and the launch of a new dossier to evaluate the EU organic regulations.
The Deputy Director General of DG Agriculture and Rural Development, Jerzy Bogdan Plewa, described the Commission proposals for the CAP 2014-2020, a “greener” and more sustainable agriculture policy. He stated that support for organic farming remains an essential ingredient in the policy recipe for sustainable food production.
Christopher Stopes, IFOAM EU Group President, on the occasion of the launch of the 3rd IFOAM EU Group regulation dossier European Organic Regulations - An evaluation of the first three years - Looking for further development." (see below for further information)
Click here for full press release
Launch of the IFOAM EU Group Regulation Dossier
Brussels - March 2012: The IFOAM EU Group office taking part in the IFOAM campaign "Organic without Borders - A global journey to sustainable livelihoods" (http://www.ifoam.org/organic_without_boundaries/) in support of sustainable development and an united organic world as RIO+20 approaches.
IFOAM EU Group Joint NGO Press Release
The EU Commission’s health and consumers department caves in to farmers and industry lobby request to allow the spread of highly dangerous pest
On explicit request of the dominant farmers unions and the pesticide industry, the department taking care of health and consumers issues within the European Commission (DG SANCO) has proposed to dismantle the European safety system by removing the obligation on countries and farmers to contain the spread of a highly destructive maize pest ‐ Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conte (the Western corn rootworm – from now on cited as WCR). This move is likely to lead to a massive increase in pesticide use unless the simple agronomic practice of crop rotation is implemented as a countermeasure.
Click here for full press release
Council opposed biased proposal, but failed
to reach improvement for
GMO free food & farming
Organic movement demands EU wide moratorium for GMO cultivation
Brussels – 09/03/12 - The Council of Environment ministers today missed the chance to make a big step forwards for GMO free food and farming. Ministers were to adopt their opinion on the proposal of the European Parliament of last year to allow member states to restrict the cultivation of GMO on a reasonable list of grounds, adding a clause to the directive on deliberate release of GMOs that would additionally have obliged all member states to take up measures to prevent the presence of GMO traces in GMO-free food and farming.
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IFOAM EU Group February Newsletter now available
EIP must recognise the innovative potential of organic farming
European Innovation Partnerships should address food systems in a comprehensive way
Brussels, 29/02/2012 – The IFOAM EU Group welcomes the Communication on European Innovation Partnership (EIP) for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability published by the European Commission today. This new measure opens the potential for knowledge transfer between farmers, researchers and other stakeholders, which is often lacking in European agriculture. Now it is crucial that truly sustainable, comprehensive approaches towards innovation are targeted within the EIP.
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State of soils requires policy action to ensure future food security
- Commission soil strategy report highlights necessity of a European framework for soil protection
- CAP reform and resurrection of soil directive of utmost importance for future of soils
Brussels, 13/02/2012 – The IFOAM EU Group sees clear evidence in the Commission’s 'Implementation of the Soil Thematic Strategy', published today, that policy action on soil is extremely urgent. Soil erosion by water is estimated to affect 1.3 million km2 in Europe, an area equivalent to 2.5 times the size of France.
“Healthy soils are fundamental to food and water security. Today’s ‘progress report' is a depressing catalogue of continued destruction rather than showing progress; it is a solemn reminder that the EU is failing to ensure soil protection,” says Christopher Stopes, President of the IFOAM EU Group. “Due to a deadlock in the Council on the establishment of an EU Soil Directive, this opportunity for coordinated action on soils has not been exploited since it was initially proposed in 2006. It is high time that member states take responsibility for the future of our soils and resurrect the Soil Directive!”
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IFOAM EU welcomes approval of EU organic wine rules
Brussels, 08/02/2011 – The IFOAM EU Group welcomes today´s approval of implementing rules on organic wine production by the Standing Committee on Organic Farming (SCOF) and appreciates that its compromise proposal for reduction of sulphites was taken up as a basis. This conclusion is the result of a long decision making process dating back to 2009, and guarantees that in the future organic wines can be clearly distinguished from non-organic wines in Europe.
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The future of food and farming needs a broad societal consensus
With the economic crisis continuing its devastating impact on the European economies, it becomes increasingly apparent that public funding must present a clearer focus to deliver societal needs and expectations. For the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) this means that it must lead the way to a more efficient and effective use of natural resources, making our food system resilient to climate change, protecting biodiversity and creating employment in rural areas. Funding and resources must be allocated appropriately.
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50 years of the European Agricultural Policy: Time for change say civil society groups
Brussels, 23/01/2012 – The European Commission launches its 50th anniversary of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) campaign today. However with farmers and biodiversity disappearing, hunger and social inequalities increasing and food safety compromised, civil society groups, including IFOAM EU Group, are calling on the European Institutions to use the ongoing CAP reform to undertake a radical overhaul to make it “fit for the next 50”.
Click here for full press release
Early bird registration now available!
The 6th European Organic Congress in Denmark is taking place at a crucial point in time for the debate on the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The Congress “Smart change - towards a sustainable CAP” addresses the policy change needed to reach a greener, smarter, fairer future CAP, improve the availability of sustainably produced food for consumers and to ensure the credibility of certification for sustainable farm systems...
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Backpedalling by Environment Council short sighted:
Biodiversity objectives must be part of a reformed CAP
Brussels 20/12/2011 – EU Environment Ministers yesterday adopted conclusions on the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020. The IFOAM EU Group condemns the compromise decision by the Ministers to remove calls in the Strategy for biodiversity objectives to be integrated into the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). This has set a dangerous precedent as the EU attempts to raise the environmental performance of agriculture and steer European food and farming towards a more ecologically sustainable future.
Full press release available here
Smart change - towards a sustainable CAP
Organic and high nature value farming shaping future food systems
Copenhagen, Denmark 17-18 April 2012
The IFOAM EU Group, in cooperation with Organic Denmark, announces the 6th European Organic Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark, 17th-18th of April 2012. With 200 participants expected, including high-level speakers from the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European organic sector,the 6th European Organic Congress will take place at a crucial point in time for the debate on the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
Click here for full press release
Click here for more information
No space for fraud in organic production: tighter controls are bearing fruit
Brussels, 08/12/2011 – The Italian police arrested seven people, including executives from three agro-business companies accused of having committed fraud by intentionally selling conventional products as organic, with 2,500 tons of products confiscated. The IFOAM EU Group condemns this fraudulent and criminal activity and welcomes the conclusion of the two-year police investigation, conducted with the cooperation of the organic sector in Italy, which has brought to justice the individuals who have deliberately deceived the public and criminally manipulated the rigorous checks and controls that are in place in the organic inspection and certification system.
Full press release available here
Agro-ecology and consumption change can secure future food supply
Food security in times of scarce natural resources requires an ecological re-think of our food and farm systems
Brussels 10/11/2011 – Food systems must become more sustainable, reduce the use of external inputs and improve nutrient recycling to secure a sufficient food supply for future generations. Organic farming is already many steps ahead on this path. This was the overall message of the IFOAM EU Resource Efficiency conference held on Wednesday.
Click here for full press release
Transparency and strict rules for GMOs needed
Commission reports on GMO policy must be followed by overdue action
Brussels 28/10/2011– The reports published today evaluating the European GMO legislation, must be followed by real action: The European Commission must finally propose legislation change that solves the pressing issues caused by GMO cultivation and GMOs entering the food chains
Click here for full Press Release
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