European Organic Day: September 23 Celebrates the Excellence of European Organic Products
On September 23, European Organic Day, the ideal occasion to celebrate organic products and assess Europe’s progress towards achieving the goal of 25% organic land by 2030.
Officially launched in 2021 by the European Parliament, the Commission, and the Council of the European Union, this day represents an opportunity to assess, among other things, consumer demand trends, continue raising awareness about organics throughout the supply chain, and ultimately set new goals for the future of organic products in Europe.
Janusz Wojciechowski, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, expressed satisfaction with the establishment of the first European Organic Day by saying: “Today, we celebrate organic production, a type of sustainable agriculture where food production occurs in harmony with nature, biodiversity, and animal welfare. September 23rd also marks the autumn equinox when day and night are equally long, symbolizing the balance between agriculture and the environment that ideally fits with organic production. I am pleased that together with the European Parliament, the Council, and key stakeholders in this sector, we can launch this annual EU day dedicated to organics, a great opportunity to increase awareness of organic production and promote its key role in transitioning towards sustainable food systems.
Why the European Organic Day?
The launch of the EU Organic Day follows the Action Plan for the development of organic agriculture, adopted by the European Commission on March 25, 2021, and aims to raise public awareness about the characteristics and benefits of organic productions.
The overall objective of the European Action Plan is to substantially increase the production and consumption of organic products in line with the goals of the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies. This includes reaching at least 25% of European agricultural land under organic farming by 2030 (currently at 9.2%), accompanied by a simultaneous reduction in pesticide use by 50% and fertilizer use by 20%. The organic sector needs the right tools to grow. To ensure balanced development, the EU Action Plan includes 23 actions structured around three main axes:
- Increasing consumption
- Boosting production
- Improving the sector’s sustainability
The future of European organic agriculture will be built upon these priorities, aiming for increasingly necessary environmental sustainability.
UE Organic Awards
Al fine di stimolare la crescita della domanda di prodotti biologici da parte dei consumatori e aumentare la consapevolezza sulle caratteristiche qualitative e sui vantaggi della produzione bio, il Piano d’Azione ha previsto il lancio di un concorso a premi chiamato EU Organic Awards. Questi premi riconosceranno l’eccellenza lungo le filiere biologiche, scegliendo i protagonisti migliori e più innovativi nella produzione biologica nell’Ue. La cerimonia di premiazione si svolgerà a Bruxelles il 23 settembre 2023 proprio in occasione della giornata del biologico dell’UE.
