In this chapter you can find:

Press releases

Click on a press release below to find out the latest news on organic farming in the EU.

• 'European Union and United States agree to Historic New Partnership on Organic Trade'
  
• New EU rules for ‘Organic Wine’ agreed
  
• EU’s Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development to attend the ROMEXPO INDAGRA Farm in Romania
  
• EU’s Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development at the BioCultura fair in Madrid
  
• New EU labelling rules including new EU organic logo come into force on 1 July
  
• Commission launches on-line vote for the new EU Organic Logo
• European Commission launches competition to create a new EU organic logo
• PRESS RELEASE/08: Irish farmers and producers get close-up look at EU’s new Organic Farming Campaign (Date: 04/09/2008)
• PRESS RELEASE/08: European Commission launches new promotional campaign for organic food and farming (Date: 25/07/2008)
• IP/07/807: Organic Food: New Regulation to foster the further development of Europe's organic food sector (Date: 12/06/2007)
  
• STAT/07/80: Organic farming in the EU - Organic area accounted for 4% of the total utilised agricultural area in the EU25 in 2005 (Date: 12/06/2007)
  
• SPEECH/07/82: Mariann Fischer Boel - Member of the European Commission responsible for Agriculture and Rural Development: Organic production: the right ground rules for a growing sector, BIOFACH Organic Food Fair, Nürnberg, 15 February 2007
• IP/05/1679: Organic Food: new Regulation will improve clarity for consumers and farmers (Date: 21/12/2005)
  
• CJE/05/70: The regulation on organic production from now on precludes the use, in Spain, of the terms biológico or ‘bio’ in the advertising material of products which have not been organically produced (Date: 14/07/2005)
  
• IP/04/730: 21 actions to boost organic farming (Date: 10/06/2004)
  
• MEMO/04/145: Organic farming in the EU (Date: 10/06/2004)
• SPEECH/04/36: Dr Franz FISCHLER, Member of the European Commission responsible for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries: Towards a European action plan on organic food and farming, European Hearing on Organic Food and Farming, Brussels, 22 January 2004
• SPEECH/04/34: Dr Franz FISCHLER, Member of the European Commission responsible for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries: The future of organic farming, European Hearing on Organic Food and Farming, Brussels, 22 January 2004
• IP/04/30: European Hearing on Organic Food and Farming (Date: 09/01/2004)
  
• IP/03/197: Organic farming: Commission asks public to have their say (Date: 06/02/2003)
  

New organic legislation

New EU Aquaculture Rules will apply as from 1/7/2010

The new rules on organic aquaculture and seaweeds received a qualified majority in the relevant regulatory committee – the SCOF (Standing Committee of Organic Farming). The final text will be formally adopted by the Commission later in July 2009. With an application date of 1st July 2010, aquaculture and seaweed products can be certified in good time to appear on the market bearing the new EU logo for organic products.

New organic legislation to be applied from 1 January 2009

Since 1 January 2009, revised organic legislation has to be applied by farmers, processors, distributers, control bodies and control authorities as well as by competent authorities in each EU Member State.

Short overview and links to the new organic legislation

• Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 of 28 June 2007 on organic production and labelling of or organic products and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 which has been amended since then by:
• Council Regulation (EC) No 967/2008 of 29 September 2008 amending Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 on organic production and labelling of organic products

In the amendment the Commission postpones the obligatory use of the EU organic logo on all pre-packaged organic food and the indication of the origin of the agricultural ingredients which has to accompany the logo until 1 July 2010.

More detailed rules on organic production, processing, distribution, labelling and controls have been adopted in:

• Commission Regulation (EC) No 889/2008 of 5 September 2008 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 on organic production and labelling of organic products with regard to organic production, labelling and control

This regulation has been amended since then with new rules on organic yeast production by:

• Commission Regulation (EC) No 1254/2008 of 15 December 2008 amending Regulation (EC) 889/2008 laying down detailed rules for implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 on organic production and labelling of organic products with regard to organic production and labelling of organic products with regard to organic production, labelling and control

New rules on organic aquaculture and seaweeds are going to follow soon.

For the implementation of the new import regime:

• Commission Regulation (EC) No 1235/2008 of 8 December 2008 laying down detailed rules for implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 as regards the arrangements for imports or organic products from third countries

has been adopted as well as:

• Guidelines on imports of organic products into the European Union