On Tuesday 14 July, Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development is expected to adopt its position on the proposed regulation amending certain rules applicable to organic farming.
Compromise amendments, negotiated by rapporteur Camilla Laureti (S&D, Italian) with several other political groups, will be put to the vote. The Council of the EU has already adopted its position (see EUROPE 13867/8).
They provide for the extension until 31 December 2031 (end-2036, according to the Council of the EU position) of the equivalence regime for organic products from 11 third countries in order to avoid a disruption to trade. Imported products will, however, have to comply with additional requirements if they wish to use the European organic logo. The Commission will have to present, by the end of 2028, a report on the state of trade negotiations with those countries.
As regards small operators, the compromises set the turnover threshold allowing Member States to exempt certain retailers from the certification requirement at €25,000. That threshold may then be adjusted for inflation.
As regards groups of operators, the membership criteria are being relaxed, with an increase in the maximum eligible areas (10 ha, 1 ha under greenhouse production or 30 ha of permanent grassland) and the removal of the annual turnover criterion.
For organic livestock farming, several technical adjustments are proposed, including the extension until 31 December 2036 of the derogation authorising, under certain conditions, the use of non-organic proteins in feed for poultry and pigs in the event of unavailability.
The rules on livestock buildings, outdoor areas and the introduction of non-organic animals are also being relaxed. The amendments thus make it possible, where grazing is not possible, to replace cattle’s access to pasture with innovative housing systems offering more space, provided that the herbivores have had access to grazing at some point in their lives. For poultry, access to the open air must be ensured as soon as the animals are sufficiently feathered, but outdoor areas may be partially, or even largely, covered where climatic conditions, animal welfare or environmental imperatives justify this. Temporary restrictions imposed, for example in the event of avian influenza, remain possible.
The compromises strengthen traceability requirements, particularly for online sales.
The Commission will have to carry out an assessment of the application of the regulation by 2030, and then every seven years, in order to identify possibilities for simplification.
Link to the compromise amendments: https://aeur.eu/f/muu (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)