Position paper on Commission proposal for new organic regulation

IFOAM EU has published its position paper on the Commission proposal for a new organic regulation. With this paper, IFOAM EU sets a roadmap towards sustainable growth of organic food and farming in Europe and provides concrete suggestions on how to reach the aims of of removing obstacles, ensuring fair competition between operators and maintaining consumer confidence, the association reports.

Organic food and farming is the most sustainable method to farm and produce food and it is growing year after year. In terms of consumer demand, citizens are increasingly making the conscious choice to select organic for its environmental benefits and high quality. On the other hand, organic farmers and producers are highly involved in developing and implementing solutions that benefit people and planet, for example by proposing agriculture practices that mitigate climate change and provide solutions to pests that work where conventional practices do not.

The organic principles have guided IFOAM EU’s work since the start and continual development is part of the organic way of doing things. In today's reality it's clear that further steps forwards towards an even more sustainable food system in Europe have to be made, in and outside of organic. That is why it is necessary for EU regulation to support the development of the sector, based on a progressive step-by-step process with clear vision that takes the diversity of member states, regions and organic operators into account. The position paper is available here.