“InterBio” Project: the 4th European Organic Congress on the future of EU Regulation

<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal align=justify><SPAN style="mso-ansi-language: DE" lang=DE><FONT size=2 face=Calibri>The 4th European Organic Congress in Rome, organised by IFOAM EU and IAMB, provided the first opportunity for over 200 participants from the EU, EFTA and Mediterranean countries to evaluate and discuss <SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi">the new EU</SPAN> <SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi">Organic Regulation 834/07<STRONG> </STRONG></SPAN>since it came into force on 1st January 2009. The congress was organised as part of the INTERBIO project supported by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture. It highlighted several different issues, including rules for importing organic food into the EU, the needs of small farmers and operators, tools for inspection and certification, new standards for organic aquaculture, wine and processing, and complementary tools to the regulation. <BR>Congress participants agreed that it was essential to consider the role of the<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi"><STRONG> </STRONG>regulatory framework</SPAN> in the broader context of the need for appropriate policies to meet the challenges ahead. The potential of the whole-system, multi-targeted approach of organic food and farming must be exploited in the CAP post-2013, if the promise of public goods for public money is to be delivered. The conference called the organic movement to take more responsibility for the development of the regulation and re-gain ownership.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #242816; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: IT" lang=EN-US><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>