The trade in organic products needs stable rules, but also assurances that maintain consumer confidence. Faced with this dilemma and according to IFOAM Organics Europe, the European Parliament and the Council have reached a provisional agreement to address both challenges.
The review of the EU organic regulation contemplates extending until December 31, 2036 the equivalence agreements with 11 third countries. It has also introduced some adjustments in the use of the European logo for certain imported products.
IFOAM values the predictability it offers to the sector, though it reminds that formal approval is still pending. From the organization they call for the development rules of the regulation to be concretized soon and, at the same time, regret the lack of detail in the rules for obtaining varieties of vegetables adapted to organic production.
EU Organic Regulation
Today, the European Parliament and the Council have reached a provisional agreement in trilogue negotiations on the specific amendment to the EU Organic Regulation. The review aims to strengthen the competitiveness of the EU organic sector, while maintaining the high standards that underpin its strong consumer trust.
“Congratulations to Camilla Laureti, the European Parliament’s rapporteur, to Commissioner Hansen, to the Irish Presidency and to all those who contributed to reaching this political agreement. This is an important step towards providing legal certainty to organic operators and avoiding disruptions in international trade. Our priority now is to ensure that the agreement is implemented in practice and that the roadmap for secondary legislation is delivered promptly, in close dialogue with the organic sector. To strengthen the competitiveness of the organic sector, we need clear, stable, and predictable rules while safeguarding the high organic standards that underpin consumer trust,” said Eduardo Cuoco, director of IFOAM Organics Europe.
IFOAM Organics Europe welcomes the resolution of the key issues that motivated the revision of the Basic Act. The political agreement achieves the common objective pursued over the past year: finding a timely legislative solution to the pressing challenges related to the use of the EU organic logo on imported products and the continuation of equivalence agreements with key third countries.
The ten-year extension agreed for the equivalence agreements with 11 third countries, until December 31, 2036, gives the European Commission and its trading partners more time to negotiate future deals. It provides predictability for operators and helps avoid disruptions to international organic trade.
While the revised rules on using the EU organic logo for imported products under equivalence will require adjustments for organic operators, particularly in terms of traceability and additional controls, the simplified provisions agreed in trilogue reduce the complexity of the original proposal.
The transition period will also give operators time to prepare and adapt to the new requirements. IFOAM Organics Europe also welcomes the removal of the proposed 5% exception that would have allowed the EU organic logo on products containing ingredients that do not meet the additional criteria. This helps protect the coherence and credibility of the EU organic logo.
IFOAM Organics Europe also welcomes the negotiators’ protection of fundamental organic principles, such as the requirements for ruminant grazing, which are essential to safeguard the integrity of organic production standards.
However, IFOAM Organics Europe regrets that the co-legislators have missed the opportunity to set more detailed standards for organic plant breeding, which would be an important step to support the development of plant varieties suited to organic production systems and strengthen the sector’s long-term resilience.
Eduardo Cuoco continued: “Today’s agreement is an important milestone, but the work is not finished yet. IFOAM Organics Europe urges the co-legislators to move swiftly with the formal approval of the agreement, ensuring that the specific review can be adopted without delay. The next priority is to implement the roadmap for secondary legislation, addressing the outstanding challenges and ensuring that the revised framework is practical, coherent, and fully aligned with organic principles. This is essential to provide long-term regulatory stability and to guarantee that the EU’s organic standards remain fit for the future.”
