OrganicAuthority.com - Organic Blog » European Union

Europe Becomes First Continent to Ban a Pesticide

Jill Ettinger — Wed, 01 May 2013 08:52:55 +0000

The European Union passed a continent-wide ban yesterday on the insecticides believed to be the cause of Colony Collapse Disorder, a mysterious disease affecting millions of bees worldwide and threatening global food supplies.

European Union Releases Data on Controversial Monsanto GMO Corn Strain

Jill Ettinger — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 09:16:41 +0000

--> With concerns growing over genetically modified foods stirred up by a recent French study, the European Food Safety Authority, the European Union's risk assessment body for food safety, has announced its release of all data on a strain of genetically modified corn engineered by Monsanto on its website.

European Union Bails on Saving the Bluefin Tuna

Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:00:43 +0000

Sushi is in trouble. Tuna is on pace to become an endangered species. Conservationists claim Bluefin tuna stocks in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean have dropped 60% between 1997 and 2007.

So environmental advocates have been asking the European Union to impose strict limits on fishing, but after intense negotiations the EU has abandoned a plan to put stricter fishing quotas on Bluefin tuna.

Europe Wants Help with New Organic Logo

Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:12:30 +0000

Last year, the European Union Commission withdrew its common logo for organic food. Here’s why. The green and blue circle resembled the logo of a popular supermarket chain and incorporated the word “bio” a term not typically associated with organics.

Recognizing the problem and not sure what to do. The EU is asking for help. On Monday, the commission kicked off a competition for EU citizens enrolled in higher education art and design, to create a new organic logo that will appeal to all member countries:

The competition itself will have great public visibility, and the public will be asked to vote on the shortlist at the end. Such an open and transparent process will also help raise awareness of organic food and of the logo itself, even before it starts appearing on packs.

Michael Mann, EU spokesperson for agriculture and rural development, said: “Commissioning an agency would cost a fortune and we may not get the result we want.”

Students have until 25th June 2009 to send their entries, and the first prize winner will receive €6000. First and second runners up will receive €3,500 and €2,500 respectively.

The brief is to come up with “an eye-catching and original logo that captures the diverse aspects of organic farming and production”.

The contest will be judged by a panel of experts from various design institutions and organic agencies. Potential logos will be judged on universal appeal, comprehensibility, clarity of presentation and timeliness.

For more details on the competition, check out the Create the New EU Organic Logo website.

Via Food Navigator.

Italy Says, Let the Poor Eat Cheese…

Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:58:44 +0000

Amidst wars and slumping economies, we forget, there are plenty of hungry people in the world. That’s why some nations have food stamps and soup kitchens, but Italy has taken a different approach to helping the poor. Feed the needy 100,000 pounds of Parmigiano Reggiano. According to the Associated Press, Italy has a growing number of underclass citizens in major cities, like Rome. And, at the same time, Parmesan cheese makers are suffering from falling prices. So, since Parmesan is a national treasure and 85% of Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano cheese is produced and consumed in Italy. The Italian government will bail out the industry by promising to buy 3% of the annual production at market prices. Then the cheese will be distributed to the poor under a European Union food program. As an Italian, who doesn’t eat cheese, I find this uniquely efficient, but entirely gross.