Start to an eventful year: Working Group Organic Agriculture visits BIOFACH in Nuremberg
Once again this year, a delegation from the Organic Agriculture working group of the Agricultural Policy Dialogue (APD) Germany – South East Europe had the opportunity to take part in the world's leading trade fair for organic food in Nuremberg. Representatives from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia and Moldova were present at BIOFACH, which took place from Feb 11-14, 2025.
The BIOFACH Congress, in particular, offered numerous sessions on concrete implementation issues of the EU Organic Regulation in the candidate and third countries, e.g., dealing with residue cases and official investigations, and the latest statistics and trends.
An important meeting took place with representatives of the Organic Unit of the EU Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI). The Commission sent out a very positive signal: in the future, it will be in regular direct contact with the APD working group. Open questions will be clarified, and information will be exchanged in joint meetings. Possible funding opportunities to support the process will also be examined.
In addition to the tour of the exhibition halls, targeted business talks were held with selected trade representatives. A special item on the program was the visit to the country pavilions of Albania and Moldova by State Secretary Silvia Bender from the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL). There, talks were combined with a tasting of regional specialties. She was accompanied by Boban Ilic, Secretary General of the Regional Rural Development Standing Working Group (SWG) of South Eastern Europe, and Taras Vysotskyi, First Deputy Minister for Agricultural Policy and Food of Ukraine.
Finally, the planning of the organic farming group's summer school was discussed. Following last year's successful wine course, a similar format is planned for October 2025 in Albania. In addition to the regular three working group meetings, one thing is certain: the organic farming working group has an extremely active year ahead of it!