A new European Charter setting out clear actions to help meet the EU 25%-organic-by-2030 goal was presented to the Danish Minister of Finance, Nicolai Wammen, during the closing debate of the Organic Summit 2025 held in Copenhagen this week.
The charter brings together policymakers, businesses, and advocacy groups from across Europe around a shared direction for advancing organic practices. Its goal is to pave the way for 25% of the EU’s agricultural land and food consumption to be organic by 2030, a target set under the EU Green Deal’s Farm to Fork strategy.
Current trajectories by Member States suggest that the organic’s share is more likely to be around 16% by 2030. Many industry insiders believe major concrete interventions are now needed at the MS level to get even close to the 25% goal.
‘World needs more organic’
Having received the new Charter, Minister Wammen told Summit delegates: “I recognize the Organic Summit charter. It is an inspiring and important ambition on you have set. It is an ambitious charter and organic farming is a vital cornerstone in the green transition. The world needs more organic farming, the world need you.”
“It is an inspiring and important ambition on you have set…The world needs more organic farming, the world need you”
The new organic charter emphasizes the need to strengthen and improve organic systems and methods, build stronger value chains, and ensure increased demand from consumers and public kitchens.
In practice, this means working to increase political and financial support for farms transitioning to organic, introducing a sustainability benchmark that recognizes the positive impact of organic practices, and expanding the Organic Cuisine Label across the EU.
Gear shift needed
“We need a significant gear shift if we are to reach the goal of 25% organic by 2030. The charter shows the way and unites stakeholders around concrete solutions. We now have a shared language for what we want. It’s something we can refer to, revisit, and present to decision-makers again and again when needed. This is tremendously positive news for organic, which stands much stronger today than it did yesterday,” said Rasmus Prehn, CEO of Organic Denmark.
Kirsten Lund Jensen, head of organic unit at the Danish Agriculture & Food Council, said: “It’s fantastic to stand together with so many stakeholders from so many countries and be 100% aligned in our commitment to promoting organics. We are all focused on strengthening the market for organic products while also enhancing the role of organic in the green transition, thereby contributing to societal goals related to biodiversity, animal welfare, climate, environment, and more.”
Project Manager for the Organic Summit, Rikke Lundsgaard, was also pleased with the outcome of the summit. She said: “Over the past two days, the Organic Summit has brought together more than 450 key organic stakeholders from 40 countries. It has been a fantastic platform for dialogue and collaboration, with intense and inspiring discussions across sectors and nationalities. It’s clear that there is a shared will to strengthen organics in Europe, and the charter is the culmination of a summit filled with engagement, expertise, and political will.”
The full charter can be read at os25.org/charter, and it calls for the European Commission to follow up with an annual status report.
The Organic Summit was held on August 18–19 at The Black Diamond in Copenhagen.
Main image. Danish Minister of Finance, Nicolai Wammen, applauds participants at the Organic Summit 2025. Thyge Nygaard/Organic Summit 2025
• Further reading: https://naturalnewsdesk.co.uk/2025/02/01/game-changing-policies-are-needed-to-make-it-a-high-five/