Date: October 24, 2025
Location: European Economic and Social Committee, Brussels (Room VMA 23 | 2 Van Maerlant Street, 1040 Bruxelles)
Time: 9:30 – 17:30
Participation available in person in Brussels only
Register now to secure your spot by filling out the form below! Registration open till October 17th. After this date you will be added to the waiting list (with participation only possible if cancellations occur).
Join us for an in-depth discussion on ‘nature restoration’, exploring solutions that can help EU Member States in the development of their National Nature Restoration Plans!
Following the entry into force of the Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) in August 2024, the next steps in implementing this piece of legislation require EU Member States to develop ‘National Nature Restoration Plans’ – with the first drafts to be submitted in summer 2026. Intense discussions are already taking place nationally, where stakeholders involved in farming, forestry and nature conservation are developing concrete strategies and roadmaps to contribute to the objectives of this legislation.
The guest speakers will focus on how the subjects of organic agriculture, agroecology and agroforestry offer versatile solutions that address the needs of farmers, foresters and land managers in general – while also contributing to the objectives of the NRR. Among others, the synergies behind these concepts would allow to strengthen resilience at landscape level, ensure agricultural productivity and boost biodiversity.
This event will bring together leading experts from the European Commission (DG ENV, DG ECHO), representative Brussels-based associations, and other key stakeholders.
Following a formal session in the morning, a roundtable session (offering the opportunity to network, too) will also be organised.
PRELIMINARY PROGRAM
09:00 Networking coffee
09:30 Opening remarks
Host EESC members:
- Stoyan Tchoukanov, EESC NAT President;
- Arnold Puech d’Alissac, EESC rapporteur on the ‘nature restoration’;
10:00 Opening panel discussion – lessons learned from the national level and good practices in the area of ‘nature restoration’
IFOAM Organics Europe – Hanna Winkler, Policy Associate Manager
Agroecology Europe – Matteo Metta, Policy Manager
CEPF EU – Hélène Koch, Senior Policy Advisor
EURAF – Anke Hahn, Policy Officer – German Agroforestry Association (EURAF delegate)
Opportunities and challenges: roundtable discussion;
11:00 Projects that contribute to the objectives of the NRR
LandShift (Horizon Europe): Ioannis Varvaris – Deputy Research Coordinator, ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence;
Dinara back to life (LIFE project): Ivana Selanec – Executive director, Association Biom – BirdLife Croatia;
Lunch
14:00 Policy synergies – strengthening preparedness ahead of climate change challenges through nature restoration (co-creation exercise);
Discussion moderated by DG ECHO
- Natural Mineral Waters Europe (member organisation);
- TBC
Register now to secure your spot by filling out the form below! Registration open till October 17th. After this date you will be added to the waiting list (with participation only possible if cancellations occur).
