IFOAM EU: New board elected

Picture from the left: Évelyne Alcázar, Thomas Fertl, Sabine Eigenschink, Bavo van den Idsert, Jan Plagge, Christopher Stopes, Jiri Lehejcek, Sybille Kyed, Sylvie Dulong.

Building on the strength of increasing influence and recognition for its strong advocacy work in Brussels, the IFOAM EU membership elected a new board at its 8th General Assembly in Amsterdam yesterday.

A strong mandate is needed as the trilogue discussions on the Commission’s proposal for a new organic regulation continue, and other hot topics for the sector such as new breeding techniques, climate change and upcoming European Food Research Areas are on the EU agenda, not to mention a fundamental review of the Common Agriculture Policy.

IFOAM EU is proud to announce that there was a strong turnout for the general assembly, with 28 countries and more than 110 members represented. They had the opportunity to elect nine board members from a candidate list of 18 highly qualified and diverse organic stakeholders.

The members of the new board are:

President: Christopher Stopes, EcoS Consultancy, United Kingdom
Vice President for Regulation: Sabine Eigenschink, Austria Bio Garantie, Austria
Vice President for Policy: Jan Plagge, Bioland, Germany
Treasurer: Bavo van den Idsert, Bionext, the Netherlands

Évelyne Alcázar Marín, Ecovalia, Spain
Sylvie Dulong, Fédération Nationale d’Agriculture Biologique, France
Thomas Fertl, BioAustria, Austria
Sybille Kyed, Organic Denmark, Denmark
Jiri Lehejcek, Czech Technology Platform for Organic Agriculture, Czech Republic

The sector, regional and gender representation criteria were all met with in the first round. There was strong representation of members at the general assembly, said the IFOAM EU in a release.