What participants can expect at the European Organic Congress 2021

The 15^th edition of European Organic Congress, organised by IFOAM Organics Europe and their partner Agrobio, will take place digitally on 16-18 June 2021 live from Lisboa. The Congress, which will include six sessions covering topics such as Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), expected changes in the new EU Organic Regulation, organic’s contribution to climate change mitigation, sustainable food systems and rural development, will provide participants with the opportunity to interact with and benefit from the knowledge and expertise of high-level speakers and moderators on policy developments in organic.

Three highlights of the Congress programme:

1. The new CAP and European Green Deal: How far apart?

The aim of this session is assessing how to align the CAP Strategic Plans with the EU Green Deal. Together with Célia Nyssens, Policy Officer for Agriculture at the European Environmental Bureau, it will be discussed to what extent national ambitions are in line with the EU Green Deal objectives, in particular the target to reach 25% organic land by 2030.

Day 1, 16 June, 11:30 - 13:00 CEST

2. Towards more sustainable food systems

While the need to transition towards more sustainable food systems is largely recognized, the consensus on how to achieve this has not yet been reached. During this session, experts and participants will explore what sustainable food systems look like and how they can be realized. Initiatives such as the Organic Action Plan, Green Public Procurement and other related initiatives will be at the core of this session.

Day 2, 17 June, 11:45-13:15 CEST

3. Rural Development: Long-term vision for rural areas

The future development and attractiveness of rural areas will largely depend on improving the climate and environmental performance of farming. This year’s congress will end with a session on exploring how initiatives, such as organic districts, living labs and farm demonstrations can contribute to the development of rural areas and the success of the Organic Action Plan.

Day 3, 18 June, 11:15-12:15 CEST

This edition of the Congress is free of charge and seats are limited. Registrations are now open for interested parties. For more information and the whole programme please visit the Congress website.