Brussels, 11/02/2016 (Agence Europe) - The organic farming talks between the EU Council of Ministers and the European Parliament will continue at the rate of one meeting a month. The Dutch Presidency of the Council of the EU aims for agreement to be reached before the end of its term of office on 30 June (see EUROPE 11421).
Three trialogue meetings have already taken place on organic farming (November and December 2015, January 2016). The next talks will be held on 29 February and 22 March. A technical meeting will be convened in mid-February. So far, the negotiators have addressed a number of articles relating to the scope, objectives and principles and import system.
The talks are expected to be particularly tricky when it comes to controls and the question of pesticide residues (the question of thresholds).
At the Special Agriculture Committee (CSA) meeting of Monday 8 February, the Dutch Presidency gave delegations a memorandum on the following difficulties, which are expected during the upcoming trialogue meetings:
Scope. There is only one remaining issue at this stage of the negotiation, namely the inclusion of the traditional herbal treatment and mass catering in the scope of the Regulation. To be noted that the EP can finally support the provisions on cork and salt as indicated in the Council's general approach;
Objectives and principles. The problematic terms are soil-bound/land-related, nanomaterials, human health, land and soil;
Production. Disagreements persist over the environmental management obligations to be met by operators. The EP backs the continuation of mixed farming (both organic and non-organic products), as does the Council;
Controls. The EP has introduced mandatory physical controls every year while Council found a delicate balance, combining risk-based and annual controls;
Residues. The EP and Council oppose the idea of setting a threshold above which products containing pesticides would lose the right to use the organic label (however, the European Commission is sticking to the thresholds). The EP has restricted the contaminants only to pesticides whereas the Council general approach covers “non-authorised products and substances”.
Imports. The EP foresees a transitional measure, according to which some imported products could be placed on the EU market even if they do not comply with the EU Regulation. For products that do not comply with EU rules, the EP suggests giving the Commission the power to introduce delegated acts laying down the specific conditions under which such products can be imported from countries outside the EU;
Structure of the regulation. The EP has reintroduced specific production rules in the basic act and has added many delegated acts (DA) to supplement the legal act. The Council has deleted some parts of the annexes and has envisaged implementing acts (IA) instead. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)