2024 European Organic Congress

Welcoming remarks 

• Dr. István Nagy – Minister, Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture Live tweeting
• Jan Plagge – President, IFOAM Organics Europe / President, Bioland Live tweeting
• Dóra Drexler – Vice-President, IFOAM Organics Europe / Managing Director, ÖMKi Live tweeting

Opening session: Building a common vision for the future of food & agriculture Live tweeting

• Catherine Geslain Lanéelle – Director Strategy & Policy Analysis, DG AGRI, European Commission
• Dr. István Nagy – Minister, Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture
• Marco Paravicini – Vice-President, FederBio
• Jan Plagge President, IFOAM Organics Europe / President, Bioland
• Herbert Dorfmann – Member of the European Parliament / AGRI committee coordinator
• Stefan Krajewski – Secretary of State, Polish Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
  Moderator: Eduardo Cuoco – Director, IFOAM Organics Europe

Panel session: A CAP fit for the future: Potential and challenges to steer the transition to a sustainable agri–food system Live tweeting

• Catherine Geslain Lanéelle – Director Strategy & Policy Analysis, DG AGRI, European Commission
• Peter Meedendorp – President, European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA)
• Jan Plagge – President, IFOAM Organics Europe / President, Bioland
• Christiane Lambert – President, Copa-Cogeca
  Moderator: Eric Gall – Deputy Director, IFOAM Organics Europe

Péter Sárközy Memorial Medal and Award 2024 Ceremony & Closing Remarks for Day 1. Live tweeting

• Laudation: Dr. Márta Torda (award winner of 2023)
• Prize was awarded by: Gábor Solti, Péter Sárközy Junior, and Dóra Drexler (Board of the Péter Sárközy Foundation)

Market review 1: European organic market developments (Presentation)

• Lee Holdstock – Senior Business and Trade Development Manager, Soil Association Certification Ltd

Market review 2: Trade Opportunities and barriers for organic in the international markets Live tweeting

• Li Feng – Director of China Country Office, IFOAM Organics Asia
• Tom Chapman – Co-CEO, Organic Trade Association
  Moderator: Joanna Wierzbicka Deputy Director, IFOAM Organics Europe

Panel session: Spotlight & visibility in 2024: how to promote and communicate about organic

• Anton Järild – Communication Strategist, Organic Sweden (Presentation)
• Lee Holdstock – Senior Business and Trade Development Manager, Soil Association Certification Ltd (Presentation)
• Frédéric Faure – Vice-President, Biocoop (Presentation)
  Moderator: Silvia Schmidt Policy Manager, IFOAM Organics Europe

Panel session: Patents and NGT deregulation – What’s at stake for the European breeding sector?

• Maaike Raaijmakers – Project Manager, Organic Seeds and Breeding, Bionext
• Johanna Eckhardt – Project Coordination, No patents on seeds!
• Frans Carree – Head of Breeding Department, De Bolster Organic Seeds
  Moderator: Eric Gall – Deputy Director, IFOAM Organics Europe

Breakout sessions
Breakout session 1.1: Strengthening the bargaining power in the production chain

• Gabriela Fiebinger – Coordinator of Orientierungspreis project, Bioland / Manager, Bio-MEG Süd producers (Presentation)
• Giulietta De Biasi – Member, Valoritalia’s R&D and Commercial departments (Presentation)
  Moderator: Jérôme Cinel – Director, INTERBIO Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Breakout session 1.2: Open innovation networks for agroecology transition across Europe

• Clara Sabán de la Portilla – Researcher, Madrid Institute for Rural, Agricultural and Food Research & Development (Presentation)
• Gerda Jónász – Researcher, ÖMKi (Presentation)
• Korinna Varga – Head of Agricultural Policy Research Group, ÖMKi (Presentation)
  Moderator: Valéria Csonka – Research Project Lead, ÖMKi

Breakout session 2.1: Organic plant breeding and seed production

• Dr. Péter Mikó – Head of Cereal Breeding Department, HUN-REN ATK / Leader, Organic Seed Working Group, National Seed Association (Presentation)
• Monika Messmer – Colead Plant Breeding, FiBL Switzerland & Chair, European Consortium for Organic Plant Breeding (Presentation)
• Gábor Kokavecz – Head of Seed Inspection Department, National Food Chain Safety Office
• Barbara Maria Rudolf – Board member, Dachverband Ökologische Pflanzenzüchtung in Deutschland e.V.
• Dr. Szilvia Bencze – Research Lead, ÖMKi
  Moderator: Eric Gall – Deputy Director, IFOAM Organics Europe

Breakout session 2.2: Building climate resilience

• Erika Olsson – Farmer & President, Ekologiska Lantbrukarna Sweden
• Katrin Heuzard la Couture – Head of Corporate Banking for the Organic Food Sector, GLS Gemeinschaftsbank eG
• Christian Holzleitner – Head of Unit for Land Economy and Carbon Removals, DG CLIMA, European Commission
  Moderator: Hanna Winkler – Policy Associate Manager, IFOAM Organics Europe

Presentation: The EU Organic Regulation’s role in organic’s future Live tweeting

• Elena Panichi – Head of Unit Organics, DG AGRI, European Commission
• Michel Reynaud – Board Member, IFOAM Organics Europe / Vice-President, Ecocert
  Moderator: Lea Bauer – Regulation Consultant, IFOAM Organics Europe