Abstract

The project, European Data Network for Improved Transparency of Organic Markets (OrganicDataNetwork) aims to increase the transparency of the European organic food market through better availability of market intelligence about the sector to meet the needs of policy makers and actors involved in organic markets. This overall objective will be broken up into key objectives: 1. Bring together stakeholders and bodies actively involved in organic market data collection and publication and review the needs of end-users with respect to organic market data 2. Provide an inventory of relevant private and public bodies that are involved with the collection, processing and dissemination of organic market data in Europe 3. Classify existing methods of organic market data collection and develop criteria for quality improvement of available data 4. Collect, store in a common format and provide access to currently available data on organic markets in Europe 5. Develop and test common methodologies to assess the consistency of national data, with special reference to available data on trade flows 6. Test innovative approaches to improve the data collection and market reporting in six case study regions 7. Disseminate project results and develop recommendations including a code of practise for organic market data collection and network beyond the conclusion of the project To achieve these objectives, OrganicDataNetwork includes as partners bodies (from 11 countries) that collect, publish and analyse such data. This network will closely co-operate with the EC, Eurostat and statistical offices of Member States, using existing structures for collecting and processing data on the organic market and stimulating the development of new ones by adapting existing models. The partnership will act as co-ordinating centre between stakeholders, and will result in a proposal for the establishment of a permanent network to achieve collaboration on statistical issues regarding organic market.