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Commission launches call for applications for second edition of EU Organic Awards

Following the success of the first edition of the EU Organic Awards, a call for applications for the second EU Organic Awards opens today until 14 May 2023. The EU Organic Awards acknowledge different actors along the organic value chain that have developed an innovative, sustainable and inspiring project resulting in real added value for organic…

JRC | Food fraud: How genuine is your honey?

Highly sensitive testing methods allow to test the authenticity of honey and help to identify suspicious honey samples. Competent law enforcement authorities can follow up and detect fraudulent adulteration of honey with added sugar syrup.   Today, the results of an EU-wide coordinated action “From the Hives” on honey contaminated with sugars are…

Commission approves 'Olio Campania' from Italy as a new Protected Geographical Indication

Today, the Commission approved Italy's "Olio Campania" as a protected geographical indication (PGI).   The name "Olio Campania" is reserved for extra virgin olive oil obtained from olives produced exclusively in Campania. The climate of the region, characterised by dry and hot summers, is perfectly suited to the cultivation of the olive tree. In…

Eurostat | EU livestock population continued to decline in 2022

The EU has a sizeable livestock population: in November/December 2022, there were 134 million pigs (-5% compared with 2021), 75 million bovine animals (-1%), 59 million sheep (-2%) and 11 million goats (-3%).   This information comes from provisional data on the EU’s livestock population, published today by Eurostat.   Source datasets:…

EU forests: Commission adopts new guidelines to support tree planting actions and to protect old-growth forests

Forests are the lungs of the earth. They play a vital role in maintaining the health and well-being of both humans and the planet.   Today, the Commission published two sets of guidelines to support the implementation of the New Forest Strategy, within the broader framework of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, while  supporting the general…