Hemp in the spotlight at ICBC Barcelona

On the 9th of March, L'Auditori de Cornellà in Barcelona hosted yet another edition of International Cannabis Business Conference (ICBC), in a kind of prelude to the famous Spannabis. One of Europe's leading cannabis industry B2B events, the ICBC hosted industry leaders from around the world to discuss the latest trends and developments in the growing cannabis industry. But this year, special emphasis was given to hemp and its important role in the sustainability of the planet.

The multitude of uses of hemp as a source of energy, building material and plastic alternative cannot be ignored any longer. One of the most talked about panels, “Squaring the Circle of Industrial Hemp in Spain”, raised important questions about the potential that industrial hemp has around the world, particularly at a time when climate change is devastating the planet.

The panel was moderated by Bernado Soriano Guzmán, Co-CEO of the law firm S&F Abogados, specializing in various matters related to cannabis, with the participation of Paz Fentes Piñero, representing the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Javier Gonzalo Langa, Director General of Community Agricultural Policy (PAC) of the Council for Agriculture, Rural Development, Population and Territory of Board of Extremadura and José Luis Llerena, Director General of National Agro-Food Technological Center of Extremadura (CTAEX).

The focus of the panel was largely centered on the current regulatory situation of industrial hemp in Spain, where Paz Piñero specified the fact that the cultivation of hemp strictly for industrial purposes, i.e. for the production of seeds and fibers, does not require special authorizations by the Ministry of Agriculture, which is responsible for the activity, provided that the legal limits of 0,3% THC are complied with and that all established agronomic requirements are also complied with. However, when it comes to the production of flowers, the competent authority is the Ministry of Health through the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS).

The representative of the Ministry of Agriculture also admitted the importance that hemp has as a crop that brings many benefits to the current problems regarding the sustainability of the planet, as well as the importance that it has to revitalize the most rural areas and help the country's own economy, something that the industry itself also agrees with, although there are still some claims on the part of the industry in terms of all activity linked to industrial hemp.

The main demands that the industry and in particular the associations linked to the cultivation of industrial hemp have in Spain are that of having legal certainty through the creation and implementation of legislation that allows the use of the plant in its entirety and not just for the production of seeds. and fibers, and the other is that agreements be created with the processing industry so that there is profitability for the entire hemp industry and its cultivation.

Germany in the spotlight

While some of the ICBC Barcelona 2023 conferences focused on the Spanish landscape, there was also a lot of interest in the current situation in Germany. German authorities, legalizing the medical use of cannabis in 2017, have been working diligently to introduce legalization for adult use, and plans to do so are expected to be announced soon, especially after information has been advanced. “very good feedback” was received from the European Commission regarding the German plan for the legalization of cannabis, which turns out to be a precedent that marks a significant change for the European region.

Despite the turmoil faced by US markets, the expanding international market led to a renewed sense of vigor among event attendees. The lively L'Auditori de Cornellà was full of people from the beginning of the day, as in addition to the conferences there were also companies and brands with exhibitors spread over two floors that kept the participants in constant movement, in the hope of establishing new contacts, from manufacturers of grow light systems, vapers and seed banks, not forgetting CBD and nutrient products.

ICBC Barcelona 2023 was an overwhelming success, with hundreds of cannabis business leaders coming together to dedicate an entire day to networking, and advancing the global conversation around the plant by providing a professional environment for the flow of business and contacts.

As the cannabis industry continues to grow and evolve, events like the ICBC will continue to play a crucial role in shaping the future of the global cannabis landscape, providing attendees with valuable insights into the current state of the cannabis industry and opportunities and challenges it presents, as well as being a unique opportunity for companies and investors to explore new partnerships and collaborations in the cannabis industry.

For those unfamiliar with the ICBC, the event is centered around education around various topics in the cannabis industry and networking strictly B2B, providing a professional environment for the many entrepreneurs and cannabis industry leaders who come to Barcelona every year for Spannabis. The event provides a day solely focused on building relationships and advancing the global conversation around the plant.

The ICBC Barcelona 2023 agenda was full, with programming in both Spanish and English covering a wide range of topics, from comparing regulations on the medical use of cannabis across Europe to advances in technology and the state of the international cannabis landscape. . The various panels of the event's conferences had the participation of several speakers, including politicians, businessmen and specialists in the fields of law and finance from all corners of the globe.