MEPs on the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, welcomed on Thursday 21 April the European Commission’s draft delegated act on organically produced salt.
Irène Tolleret (Renew Europe, France) thanked the European Commission for its delegated act which contains “very positive” elements (see EUROPE 12827/9). She welcomed the ban on additives, production inputs, dissolution of rock salt and the use of explosives. “These methods are far removed from organic agricultural practices and salt should be no exception to this”, she said.
However, the text being tabled allows for certain practices that denature salt, such as leaching, which Tolleret says is unacceptable. The date of placing on the market will penalise all seasonal sectors by more than a year but will benefit those that are able to produce all year round (this is the case for mine salt).
Ms Tolleret has called for a review of the text to ensure fairness in terms of competition and to prohibit all practices that might undermine the credibility of the European organic logo.
Anne Sander (EPP, France) also felt that the draft “is going in the right direction”. Contrary to what was planned, production methods that use explosives or rock salt dissolution would be excluded from the scope of the organic farming regulation. She felt that “progress” could be made in the case of mining salt, recrystallisation technology or post-harvest washing techniques at sea. If the delegated act maintains the above-mentioned activities within the scope, “the most virtuous production methods will be disadvantaged, as they are seasonal”, said Ms Sander.
Isabel Carvalhais (S&D, Portugal) said that environmentally harmful processes should be banned and that the European Commission should have gone “much further”.
Martin Häusling (Greens/EFA, Germany) has defended the ‘rock salt’ and has welcomed the delegated act. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)