Once approved by the full House and formally approved by Council, the overhauled regulation will enter into force on 1 January 2021. The long transition period provides adequate time for producers, operators and trade partners to adapt to the new framework in a sector worth around €27 billion.
Welcoming the announcement, EU Farm Commissioner Phil Hogan said Council’s decision was: “another milestone for the sector, which ensures that this important and rapidly growing sector can continue to expand with clear rules and can be assured of being on an equal footing with producers from non-EU countries who export their organic produce into the EU.
“We must support this growth by ensuring that the sector operates with appropriate legislation … putting an end to the current à la carte system of exceptions.
“Throughout these negotiations, which lasted over three years, the Commission had in mind, at all times, the European consumer who buys organic produce and has certain expectations about the guarantees that the EU organic logo brings."
Commenting after the Agri Committee vote - 29 votes to 11, with four abstentions – rapporteur Martin Häusling (Greens, DE) said the result was “very good news for both EU consumers and farmers”, as the “new law will help to address the needs of a rapidly growing organic market.
“New rules will make seeds and plant reproductive material adapted to the organic farming needs more accessible … by default, organic production will have to be soil-based."
You can find out more about the NFU's work on organics, by visiting our organic page.