Platform Biologica
Peter Jens: wanneer ILO-normen in Europese regels?
Afgelopen donderdag is de IFOAM-EU groep, de Europese afdeling van
IFOAM, in Nederland bijeengekomen. Biologica is de Nederlandse
vertegenwoordiger in het bestuur van IFOAM-EU. Peter Jens, directeur
van Biologica, hield de volgende korte toespraak, waarin hij opriep
tot incorporatie van ILO-normen in de biologische regelgeving :
"Thanks for being here, many of you have undertaken a long journey in
order to contribute to growth of the organic market and its quality.
For four seasons I have been the General Manager at Biologica. On our
fields and at our farms I have felt the passion, in our factories I
have seen the ambition, in our meetings ... work.
On our fields and at our farms I have seen the future, in the eyes of
our consumers I have seen expectations, in the minds of our citizens I
read about hope. In our meetings I felt ... work.
I sometimes miss a Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal. I sometimes feel that
we are so bogged down in nitty gritty details that we don't hear the
citizens' calls. Calls for even more ambitions. Ambitions far beyond
our principles of health and ecology, Beyond organic. Our citizens,
our society cries out for ambitions on care and fairness. I personally
cannot enjoy to the fullest any organic produce if the farmhand does
not have a secure livelihood.
So now tell me, knowledgeable crowd, passionate individuals of IFOAM
EU: When will the EU rules incorporate the ILO standards on rural
workers? 2015? 2013? 2011? Tomorrow? Now THAT's work!"
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