Mirjam Hägele, International Campaign Director

She is convinced that trade, agriculture, and food laws have to change for the better. As food law is highly harmonized in the single market of the European Union, most relevant policy decisions about food safety, product labelling, consumer protection, etc. are taken at European level. The same is true for trade policy and treaties that have much influence on consumer protection and environmental standards. The governments of EU member states are obliged to enforce these EU rules, changing EU laws is a big leverage to shift our broken food system to the better for 450 million EU citizens. 

Mirjam ensures that the joint forces of foodwatch are optimized for effective international campaign actions that push EU institutions and international food corporations to improve relevant standards and respect consumers’ rights and interests.  

Born in Bavaria, Mirjam Hägele studied German literature, German language, and Political Science in Hamburg and Madrid. Working as a journalist for dpa during her studies, she entered the NGO scene as a media trainee for the German Foundation of World Population DSW in Hannover in 2004.  

Before joining foodwatch, Mirjam has worked for 13 years with the development and humanitarian organisation Oxfam Germany as Head of Media, International Campaigns Coordinator, and Institutional Partnership Manager. Human rights in food supply chains, pesticides regulation and the impact of climate change were already core topics in her carrier with Oxfam.