On June 28, 2017, the Council and the European Parliament reached a preliminary agreement on the amendment of EU Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 on organic production and labeling. The proposal is intended to improve the legislation on organic production in order to: (i) remove obstacles to the sustainable development of organic production in the European Union; (ii) guarantee fair competition for farmers and operators and allow the internal market to function more efficiently; and (iii) maintain or improve consumer confidence in organic products by strengthening the control system via stricter checks in the supply chain. Among other changes, the new rules would extend the scope of the existing organic rules to cover a wider list of products (e.g., salt, cork, beeswax, maté, vine leaves, palm hearts) and additional production rules (e.g., for deer, rabbits, and poultry), support small farmers by introducing a new system of group certification, and provide a more uniform approach on pesticides.
The proposal will be submitted to the European Parliament for a vote at first reading and to the Council for final adoption. If approved, the new regulation would be applicable to industry by July 1, 2020.
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