Europe / European Union

A seminar to discuss ‘Organic Food and Farming research in Europe’ was held in Brussels on November 26th 2004. Hosted by the European Commission’s Research DG, this seminar was the follow up of a first event that took place in September 2002.

The second seminar brought together national representatives, scientists and policy-makers, from across the continent. The objective was to assess the current situation of Organic Food and Farming research in Europe and to identify and recommend areas for improved transnational cooperation. The current situation of European organic farming research is well documented in a report summing up the seminar's results (Slabe 2004). The conclusions of this seminar were:

Organic farming can contribute to a range of European policy objectives.
Transnational research co-operation is important for generating a critical mass of high-quality and relevant science to support policy initiatives for organic farming.
The growth of the organic sector and EU enlargement makes
further transnational research collaboration desirable.
Research should be prioritised in the following areas: i) Technical innovation and methodological development; ii) rural development; iii) impact on human and animal health; and iv) support to policies.
Research should be complemented by the following support
activities:
i) Increased coordination;
ii) improved
communication;
iii) better infrastructure; and
iv) training and
demonstration.
Organic farming research should be afforded a higher priority,
and possibly its own Thematic Priority area, in the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7).

The European Commission also published a broshure on Organic Food and Farming Research in Europe, which gives a good overview of the current situation and summarizes the outcome of the seminar held on the subject in Brussels in November 2004.

These seminars have been very important for the initiation of the European project Core Organic. CORE Organic is an acronym for "Coordination of European Transnational Research in Organic Food and Farming". The project was initiated as a part of the European Commissions ERA-NET Scheme, which intends to step up cooperation between national research activities. The project was commenced in October 2004 and finished in September 2007. Contract no.: 011716

Forschungsinstitut fuer biologischen Landbau (FiBL) , Research Institute of Organic Agriculture
Ackerstrasse, CH-5070 Frick
Tel: +41-62-865 72 72 Fax:+41-62-865 72 73
Internet http://www.fibl.ch

Seminars on Organic Food and Farming, held by the European Commission, DG Research