The new rules on the production and labelling of organic products should apply from January 2022, instead of January 2021, in order to give farmers and national authorities more time to adapt as the negative effects of the pandemic are felt.
This was the request made to Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski on Wednesday 6 May by European Parliament Agriculture Committee Chair Norbert Lins (EPP, Germany).
This request is supported by other political groups.
Mr Lins welcomed the work done so far by the European Commission to put in place a "complex system of delegated and implementing acts", which is necessary for the new organic farming regulation to be operational.
But he fears the negative effects of an approval process for secondary organic legislation without proper consultation.
"It is crucial to ensure that the rules that will shape the future of this important sector are adopted with proper consultation of all stakeholders and with [thorough] scrutiny from both co-legislators" said Mr Lins.
In order to postpone the implementation of the new organic law, the Commission would have to present a proposal to this end and both Parliament and the EU Council would have to approve it.
In April 2018, the European Parliament approved the new regulation on organic farming. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)