December 2021 Newsletter

Dear readers,

2021 has been another turbulent year, again with great successes and challenges. Just like last year, I would like to start by thanking everyone involved in fighting the spread of the ongoing pandemic, as well as all organic stakeholders who continued working throughout these challenging times.

Before reflecting on 2021, I would like to start by looking forward to 2022 – as it is going to be an exciting year. More precisely, the Year of Organics. And it will kick off in a way bringing about many changes to all of us: the new EU Organic Regulation!
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Political hotspot

On 23 November, the European Parliament approved the new CAP (2023-2027) Regulations. Now, Member States’ CAP Strategic Plans will be under intense scrutiny until their approval by the end of 2022.

In our report assessing CAP Strategic Plans, we highlighted that the level of ambition for measures and support to organic farming are not promising if the drafts remain unchanged.
 
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News
Policy
Organic Regulations
EU Organic Regulation guide – Beta version online for members!
 

As most of you are very much aware of, the new EU Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848 will be applied in only a few weeks, on 1 January 2022; and the reading will not be easy!
 
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Organic movement defines integrity of organic supply chain

The new EU Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848 puts integrity of the organic supply chain at its core principles. However, there is no legal definition of organic supply chain integrity.
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New Implementing Regulation of the new EU Organic Regulation published

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2119 related to the new EU Organic Regulation has just been published...
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Public consultation revision EU legislation on animal welfare open until 21 January 2022

The European Commission launched a public consultation on the revision of the EU legislation on animal welfare...
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Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
Organic calls for environmentally ambitious CAP SPs - The Parliament approved disappointing new CAP Regulation

On 23 November 2021, the European Parliament’s Plenary adopted the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) (2023-2027) Regulation with 452 votes in favour, 178 votes against, and 57 abstentions.
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GMOs & Seeds
Commission event: Can New Genetic Engineering Techniques (NGETs) be sustainable?

The European Commission invited stakeholders, public officials, and politicians for a high-level event to discuss their plans to launch new legislation for ‘New Genomic Techniques’ / New Genetic Engineering Technologies (NGETs). 
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Mainstreaming organic plant breeding – celebrating 20 years of organic plant breeders

‘How to make organic plant breeding mainstream’ - was the guiding question of the 20th anniversary event of the organic plant breeders in Brussels on 9 November 2021.
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Stay tuned for the full vacancy descriptions and deadlines to apply by visiting our vacancy page and following @OrganicsEurope on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.


Climate Change
COP26: Outcomes relevant to food, land & agriculture

The UN Climate Change Conference (COP 26) took place from 31 October to 12 November 2021 in Glasgow. Even though food systems and agriculture were not so prominently featured on the agenda and were discussed together as part of the “Nature Day”, there are several outcomes touching on food, land and agriculture.
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Sustainable Carbon Cycles: New EU Communication

On 15 December, the European Commission presented its Communication on ‘Sustainable Carbon Cycles’. On the one hand, the Communication addresses how to increase carbon sequestration and scale up carbon farming as a business model, and on the other hand it discusses industrial approaches to remove carbon from the atmosphere.

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Plant Health Care
Read our new leaflet on plant health care in organic farming
 

Have you ever heard of all the preventive plant protection measures implemented by organic farmers to produce food without using external inputs? Did you know that herbicides and synthetic pesticides are prohibited in organic agriculture?

 
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Biodiversity, Soil & Water
EU releases soil strategy & plans legal initiative in 2023
 

On 17 November, the European Commission published the EU Soil Strategy for 2030 together with a proposal for a regulation of deforestation free supply chains. The soil strategy addresses the importance of healthy soils for climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity, ecosystem services, food production and the economy.
 
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Food Policy
Organic in sustainable food public procurement: numerous benefits for a low-hanging fruit
 

Recent European initiatives related to food policies, among which the Farm to Fork Strategy, Organic Action Plan, and new legislative framework on sustainable food systems, have contributed to the growing political importance of sustainable food public procurement– and organic’s role in it.
 
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EU Research & Innovation Policy/ Knowledge for Organic
Alternatives for contentious inputs: Research well on track

On 30 November and 1 December, the Organic Innovation Days 2021 entitled “Better inputs for organic agriculture” took place online. In 2021,TP Organics’ annual public event, and the only EU event on research and innovation for organic agriculture, collaborated with the two Horizon 2020-funded EU projects RELACS and Organic-PLUS. Both projects aim to reduce the use of controversial inputs in organic farming.

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Using blockchain technology in organic

Ever wondered how blockchain technology can be used by the organic sector? Check out the highlights of the innovation experiment led by the partners of the SmartAgriHubs project.
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IFOAM Organics Europe developments

Do you contribute to transforming European food and farming? Submit your initiative & inspire!

A variety of organic and other initiatives are already revolutionizing food and farming across Europe, paving the way for the shared Vision 2030, we share as organic movement.

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They make it happen! Get inspired by ETHIQUABLE’s sustainable code of conduct

In 17 years of presence on the ground, Ethiquable measures how dedicated fair trade is able to provide an answer for producers and consumers. The social enterprise developed “Paysans d’Ici”, a code of conduct based on 24 criteria on organic peasant agriculture.

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Volunteering at IFOAM Organics Europe: Discovering Belgian culture & JINT training

In this article, one of our ESC volunteers shares their feedback about their ESC-experience. Enjoy sharing their experience!
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Our Holiday Wishes

IFOAM Organics Europe wishes you caring, health, ecological and fair holidays. May 2022 be bright, peaceful, inspiring, healthy, united, joyous and organic!

IFOAM Organics Europe and its staff will be enjoying their holidays starting 23 December. We are open again as of 3 January – of course, individual staff members’ holidays may differ.
 
Check out our special holiday wishes!
Events
Preview of events


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Review of past events


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Calendar of events

2022
The Year of Organics
Global

15-18 February 2022     
BIOFACH 2022  
Nuremberg, Germany

21-23 February 2022
International Conference on Organic Fruit Growing
Online

23 September 2022
EU Organic Day
European Union

2022
10-year anniversary of IFOAM Asia

2022
20-year anniversary of IFOAM Organics Europe

2022
50-year anniversary of IFOAM Organics International



Making Europe more organic
IFOAM ORGANICS EUROPE KEY SUPPORTER 2021
ORGANIC REGULATION GUIDE GOLDEN SPONSORS
 
Help us to make Europe more organic
 

The contributions of sponsors allow IFOAM Organics Europe to focus on its most important work – representing organic stakeholders. This funding is a means to co-finance IFOAM Organics Europe events, projects and publications and is a highly valued contribution to our work.

Are you interested in getting visibility in IFOAM Organics Europe’s communication? Contact supportus@organicseurope.bio.
 

© IFOAM Organics Europe 2004 to 2021

Please send any comments or contributions to the newsletter to communication@organicseurope.bio.

For further information contact your national board member or the office in Brussels.
Editors IFOAM Organics Europe newsletter: Eva Berckmans, Eric Gall, Silvia Schmidt. With the contribution of Arianna Bellemo, Verena Mitschke.

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

IFOAM Organics Europe

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