Last week the Romanian Presidency of the European Union held a high-level “Interparliamentary Meeting on Common Agricultural Policy and Cohesion Policy”. IFOAM EU joined national parliamentary delegations and farming organisations to discuss the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), with the need for an ambitious green architecture, and the importance of assigning a strong European budget to agriculture.
Jan Plagge, IFOAM EU President said: “It is an honour to take part in this interparliamentary meeting during a crucial point in the CAP negotiations. Europe needs an ambitious CAP with a strong budget to transition towards sustainable farming. This is what our citizens ask for and organic farmers can deliver. I call on national parliaments and governments to seize this opportunity by supporting eco-schemes, ringfencing money for the environment and climate and designing far-reaching voluntary measures under their CAP Strategic Plans”.
Michel Reynaud, IFOAM EU Board member added: “I would like to thank the Romanian Presidency for inviting the organic sector, which plays a leading role in making European agriculture more sustainable. In the ongoing discussions about the European Budget and the CAP, this meeting is an important milestone. I also invite the Presidency and Members of Parliament to continue this debate at the 2019 European Organic Congress, on 20-21 June in Bucharest. A high-level panel of EU and national decision-makers, experts, civil society and industry representatives will discuss the Common Agricultural Policy. Other sessions of the Congress will be dedicated to innovation and emerging technologies, and European Organic Action Plans”.
The Romanian Ministry of Agriculture, IFOAM EU and its member Bio Romania organise the 2019 European Organic Congress. Participants of the congress are farmers, ministry experts, food processors, retailers, organic certifiers and academic researchers.
European Organic Congress programme and registration will be available soon on www.organic-congress-ifoameu.org.
Bio Eco Actual, International Organic Newspaper
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