Strasbourg, 02/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament has decided to strengthen proposed rules on imports into the EU of organic products from third countries. It has not yet decided on the other section of the December 2005 proposal, namely rules on labelling and organic production (EUROPE 9198 on the most recent debates at the Agriculture Council).
By adopting the report by Friedrich-Wilhelm Graefe zu Baringdorf (Greens/EFA, Germany), the EP has reinforced the conditions that need meeting for organic products imported from third world countries. According to amendments introduced by the EP, products can be marketed in the Community if they are labelled “organic products” when they respect production rules in force in the EU and when the country of origin can be clearly identified by importers and consumers. Moreover, these products should be protected by a certificate granted by the competent inspection authorities or bodies. An amendment stipulates that Member States implement, in coordination with the European Food Safety Agency, a public Community database on organic imports into the EU. Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture explained during this plenary debate indicated that she agreed with most of the EP amendments. Provisions on imports (in the 1991 regulation) partly expire on 31 December 2006. The new import regime should therefore apply as from 1 January 2007.