Brussels, 21/11/2014 (Agence Europe) - The member states are continuing their discussions on the severely criticised proposal for the amendment of the regulation on organic farming. The principle of banning mixed farms (organic and conventional) has been removed from the text. Numerous points remain pending.
Despite strong reservations from the member states over the European Commissions proposal on the reform of organic farming rules, the Italian Presidency of the Council continues to hope for a Council partial general approach on this text in December. At the Special Committee on Agriculture meeting on 17 November, therefore, Italy brought forward a new draft compromise which takes account of the criticism made by ministers at the Agriculture Council on 10 November (see EUROPE 11194).
Amendments have been brought to two of the most criticised points: allowing the existence of mixed farms (organic and conventional at the same time) and allowing the use of non-organic inputs when organic equivalents are not available (including plant seeds and animal semen).
Mixed farms. The overwhelming majority of delegations (including France, Netherlands, Finland, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Romania, Denmark, Austria, United Kingdom, Czech Republic and Slovakia) backed the Presidency compromise which allows farms where organic and traditional agriculture exist side by side. Some member states (France, Romania, Finland and Portugal) suggested, however, that in mixed farms authorisation should be given for the different productions (for example, conventional milk and organic poultry). Some countries, such as Ireland and Denmark took the view that very tight rules were needed where mixed farming was permitted.
Non-organic inputs. The member states, like France, Spain, Netherlands, Croatia, Hungary, Sweden, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, largely supported the Presidency's proposal on derogations allowing the use of non-organic inputs if organic inputs are not available (seeds, animals and juveniles for aquaculture). Some countries, such as Denmark, took the view, nonetheless, that the rules, particularly for juveniles, had to be better defined.
Positions were much more varied with regard to the scope and to allowing the Commission to complete the annex 1 list by means of a delegated act: some countries (Spain, Ireland, for example) argue for a delegated act, making amendment of the annex easier. Some (Finland, Romania, Austria, Poland, and more) are against the use of a delegated act and want the provisions to be included in the basic text, thereby making amendment a matter for co-decision. Still others, such as Croatia and Denmark, would prefer an implementing act.
Several points of the text are still up for discussion: monitoring (should it be annual or risk-analysis based?), certification of imported products (equivalence or conformity?), conversion rules and the amount of non-organic products in animal feed.
Italy hopes to resolve these problems between now and the last Agriculture Council of the year, scheduled for 17 December, in Brussels. (LC)