Political approach

Organic Cities Network Europe aims to improve the quality of day-to-day life for local and regional populations. Our work therefore encompasses projects, initiatives and events to motivate and support the general public to voice their demands for healthy, organic nutrition.

The Organic Cities Network forms a crucial component of the movement working to create an Organic Food Intergroup of the European Commission, to coordinate political efforts and strategies at the European level and ensure the grassroots activities and the views and opinions of network members inform political action.

The member cities, municipalities and regions pool their powers and competences to produce policy change at the national and European level, ensuring that relevant policy areas focus much more strongly on the organic sector; support relevant cooperation projects; and link agricultural policy and economic policy measures far more closely with municipal activities. They also commit to outreach and engagement to ensure more cities, municipalities and networks are made aware of the network and become engaged as members.

In order to achieve these goals, Cooperation Partners agree to work together to develop joint strategies and problem-solving approaches, to source funding, to implement joint projects, and engage in coordinated public and political advocacy and information activities. The latter will focus particularly on building public awareness of and support for organic food and farming, and engaging the general public in local and regional advocacy activities, in particular those aiming to strengthen the position of the organic sector in relation to public procurement.

Fields of cooperation

The fields of cooperation comprise:

Joint strategy development

Development of joint strategies, activities, and measures to promote the use of organic produce; change public procurement within municipal institutions such as canteens, catering for kindergartens, childcare centres, and schools; increased presence of organic produce at municipal events and at local markets — all with a good balance between plant and animal produce.

Support

Support existing companies from the organic (food) sector in the context of economic promotion, via individual projects and the promotion of networks of enterprises, organizations and other stakeholders.

Incentives

Offer incentives for city farming initiatives to consider adopting standards of organic agriculture into their practice.

Preference for organic

Give preference to organic enterprises when agricultural areas owned by the municipality are to be newly leased or otherwise contracted, unless there are objective or legal reasons for alternative contracts.

Target resources

Where biological and fair trade alternatives to current municipal procurement exist, switch municipal sourcing and procurement.

Public relations

Implement public relations information campaigns at the European levei that aim to inspire the general public and catering companies to switch to sustainable organic produce.

Education about organic

Establish new education projects to improve nutrition and agricultural knowledge of children in schools and day-care centres.

Joint influence

Jointly exert political influence at the European level to influence agricultural and consumer policies that are based on clear ecological and social criteria.

Share experience

Cooperate and exchange experience and good practice with other cities and towns, and with Europe-wide networks (for example Slowfood, Eurocities) and national networks such as “Città del Bio” (Italy), “Netzwerk Deutsche Bio-Stadte” (Germany) and Sustainable Food Places Network (UK).

Identify funding sources

Collaborate with network partners to identify and acquire funding for implementing the cooperation goals.

Organic Cities Network Europe and IFOAM

The Organic Cities Network Europe and IFOAM EU signed a Memorandum of Understanding to give a strong foundation to their collaboration to work together towards a fair, environmentally conscious, healthy and caring food and farming system. The Organic Cities Network Europe and IFOAM EU will cooperate on the future of the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), regional and local food supply chains, Green Public Procurement (GPP) policies, research and innovation, the true cost of food, increasing the transparency of supply chains, and access to land for new organic farmers.

To make the European organic movement’s shared ‘Organic Vision for Europe to 2030’ a reality, IFOAM EU published a roadmap to sustainable food and farming systems in Europe – including a publication and website with inspiring initiatives. The roadmap is accompanied by a website – www.euorganic2030.bio – featuring initiatives leading the way.

Strengths
Organic farming is a major lever to help preserve the environment, improve the health of citizens and support job creation in the territories.

The soil is well represented in the Roadmap, featuring as an element for rebuilding fertility through biological processes.

It also recommends the creation of suitable indicators and rewards for practices relating to the quality of the soil and the improvement of the environment.

Explore Organic Cities Network Europe

Now that you know how we approach our work, find out which cities, municipalities and institutions make up the network, discover who the personalities are who are driving the network, learn what the vision and mission of the network is, explore the initiatives we have started or been involved in and find out how to become a member.