The European Commission’s director-general for Agriculture and Rural Development used yesterday’s opening ceremony at this year’s Biofach event to restate the Commission’s commitment to significantly expanding organic agriculture across the EU.
Speaking yesterday in Nuremberg, Elisabeth Werner stated: “Organic farming is and will remain a flagship pillar of the European Common Agricultural Policy. It contributes to competitiveness, to sustainability, and to resilience of European agriculture. Our objective is to have 25% organic farmland by 2030”.
Werner also took part yesterday to IFOAM Organics Europe annual Policy Day event, that focused on the implications of the revision of the EU Organic Regulation, as well as organic within the new EU budget (MFF) and Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the role of an updated Organic Action Plan.
Jan Plagge, president of IFOAM Organics Europe and speaker of the panel, said: “The European Commission’s regulatory roadmap and its targeted revision of the EU Organic Regulation, published last December, together with the Commission’s commitment to work towards an updated EU Organic Action Plan, confirm the strategic importance of organic production for Europe’s agri-food future. These initiatives provide much-needed continuity and direction for the organic sector in a changing policy context”.
Throughout the week, IFOAM Organics Europe is contributing to the BIOFACH Congress programme with a wide range of sessions and will continue to engage with policy-makers, stakeholders and partners. IFOAM Organics Europe also looks forward to welcoming Christophe Hansen, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, on Friday 13 February for further exchanges on the future of organic food and farming in Europe.
BIOFACH, the largest organic trade fair in Europe, officially opened yesterday, 10 February, under the theme “Growing tomorrow: Young voices, bold visions”, highlighting the importance of generation renewal and innovative thinking for the development of the organic sector.
Main image: NuernbergMesse / Frank Boxler