The European Commission has already announced the new regulations in Organic Farming. The said set of regulations (EU no. 2018/848) guarantees “fair competition for farmers, while preventing fraud and preserving consumer confidence”. The new regulations will now come into force from January 1, 2022 within the European Unions and December 31, 2024 outside the EU. Let us understand a few minor details.
So according to the European Commission, the new regulations in organic farming will be applied with the current European Organic Regulations and will be implemented from January 1st 2022. This will be considered as basic law and will be acted with the help of all the secondary laws, Meanwhile Outside of the European Union, the period from January 1st 2022 to 31st December 2024 will be given as a transition period to adapt with their activity and with the new regulations, and not more. All customers who are certified under the “Non-EU Certification standard will now have to get certified under (EU no. 2018/848) to export their organic products to the European Unions as their Non-EU Certification standard will no longer be valid.
What are New European Regulations and what changes will it make?
- According to the new set of regulations, stricter import rules will be implemented, which will be applied to both export and import. Any organic product which will be exported to the European Union will come entirely under European regulations and therefore the set of rules will become the same for producers in the EU and producers out of the EU.
- Labelling will be applied and a great amount of relief will be granted on the origin of the product within mentioned EU Agriculture. The said will help to contain 5% of ingredients from outside of the EU which at present is 2%.
- All the companies who wish to have a variety of organic product lines in different product categories can now use a single acquired certifications.
- New products which can now get certified which of course are not intended for human consumption such as Salt, Essential Oils, Natural Gums and Resins, Cotton, Wool, Beeswax and Silkworm cocoons.
The New Regulations also have some changes to production and transformation rules, For plants production, Details of seed origin and plants used must be provided, and in addition farmers now will have to legumes considering their major role in soil fertility. Cultivation of Soil-less crops is still prohibited. Animal production has to see major changes considering increased animal welfare in outdoor spaces. Restrictions on feeding and purchasing of Non Organic pullets. In food purchasing, manufacturing and use of flavourings has seen noteworthy changes, Only natural flavours which are unique like natural vanilla flavour will be authorised.
These amendments are now made into new sets of regulations (EU no. 2018/848) which will give fair trade opportunities and promote healthy competition by linking organic progress with development.
Also read: Bayer plants the seed of an Organic foray