The theme of the second European Organic Farming Congress, organized by the IFOAM EU Group, will be "Chances and challenges for organic farming in times of climate change, biodiversity loss and global food crisis".

The event will be held in Brussels on December 1 2009, and it will provide an opportunity for discussion among all the organic sector in Europe on the current challenges and possible contributions of the organic food system to address these challenges. The conference is expected to bring together leading representatives from the EU institutions and about 200 participants representing organic farming associations, the organic processing and retailing business and other interested people and organisations from the EU Member States and beyond.

The Second European Congress on Organic Agriculture will analyze the potential of organic production as a mean to face great challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss and global food crisis. Participants will discuss the development of the CAP after 2013 and that of organic food systems as advanced concepts in a model of sustainable food production. They will also discuss the political changes needed in agricultural policy, by redirecting funding and research priorities and emphasizing the innovations produced for organic farming by the employment of low carbon practices.

The IFOAM EU Group invites all interested parties to the Congress, and it is seeking cooperation with main players in the organic sector, farmers as well as food, environmental, consumer and farming organizations.