Use of the new Use of the new EU organic logoEU organic logo

Christina GerstgrasserEuropean Commission DG AGRI.H3 BioFach, 16 February 2012

Organic Food labellingOrganic Food labelling

Private Organic standards ….

Other quality claims ……….

EU Organic regulation =

Food law commercial brands ……….….

EU Organic regulation

New labelling rules apply1 July 2010

End of transition old packaging

material 1 July 2012

Transition period:Products labelled before 1/7/2010

to be sold until stocks exhausted

AB-CDE-999

EU/Non-EU agriculture

AB-CDE-999

EU/Non EU agriculture

ORGANIC – IP protection• The term “organic” protected

• If “organic” then EU organic logo:

Compulsory on pre-packed goodsVoluntary on imported products

Not exclusive:National and private labels may be added

• EU organic logo – registered trademark EU and worldwide

BENEFITS

For consumers:

• Uniform labelling • Quality assurance• Traceability • Enhanced consumer protection

For producers:

• Uniform standard for all operators• Identity to the organic sector

• Facilitating controls • Protected organic logo and names

For society:

• strong bond between the rural and metropolitan sectors

• improve and maintain rural landscape

• Maintain quality standards

For environment:

• Soil protection• Diversity of plants and animals• Animal welfare

The new EU Organic logo on products produced within the EU:

- compulsory for organic pre-packaged food

- voluntary for non pre-packaged organic food

• must be accompanied by:

- code number of the control body (format AB-CDE-999)

- place of farming(EU agriculture/ “country” agriculture)

The new EU Organic logo on imported products:- Its use is optional

- Independent of import system applied

- When used:

Code number of Control Body Place of farming(Non-EU agriculture)

FR-BIO-000 UE/non-UE Agriculture

EU organic logo (the colour may differ)

Code number of the Control body

Indication of the place where the agricultural raw materials of which the product is composed have been farmed: ‘EU Agriculture/non-EU Agriculture’.

‘EU’ or ‘non-EU’ may be replaced or supplemented by a country in the case where all agricultural raw materials of which the product is composed have been farmed in that country.

FR-BIO-000

ISO code of the country where the controls took place Link with the organic production

such as BIO, ECO, ÖKO, ORG…

Reference number of maximum 3 digits

Compulsory information

Code numbers of the EU control bodiesCode numbers of the EU control bodies

Member States attribute a code number to each organic control body and authority they have approved to operate on their territory

•Code format: xxx•BIO, ØKO, ÖKO, ECO, EKO, ORG depending on the MS•Example: BE-BIO-01 CERTISYS

Code numbers of the TC control bodiesCode numbers of the TC control bodies• On imported products, it is an obligation to mention the code

number of the control body or authority independently if the EU organic logo is used or not

Import regime AB-CDE-999 Number attributed Example

Equivalent third countries

ORG or BIO or ECO -0xx

by the competent authority of the Third Country

AR-BIO-001Food Safety SA Instituto Argentino para laCertificación

Control bodies for equivalency

BIO-1xxBIO-2xxBIO-3xx

by the Commission MX-BIO-104CERTIMEX,Certificadora MexicanaDe Productos Y ProcesosEcologicos, S.C.

MS import authorisations

BIO-6xxBIO-7xxBIO-8xx

by the Member States

MX-BIO-620 CERTIMEX,Certificadora MexicanaDe Productos Y ProcesosEcologicos, S.C.

The new EU Organic logo cannot be used on:

• Products out of the scope of the EU legislation (hunting/fishing wild animals, cosmetics, textiles)

• Containing less than 95% of organic ingredients

•Products in conversion•Products for which only national rules apply

Key factors for growth:Key factors for growth:

• Consumer awareness

– Lack of knowledge, misconceptions

• Clear agricultural policy direction

• Research and Innovation

– Alternatives and new techniques

Promotion and information

Web banner for Your website:Web banner for Your website:

available in 22 languagesavailable in 22 languages

Promotion campaigns:• 2006-2009 creation of an “umbrella” campaign

for organic farming, aimed at supporting the national campaigns in the European Union.

• July-December 2010 EU organic logo promotion campaign.

• National initiatives and co-financed programmes.

Ich will Bio (co-financed by the EU) Why I lo

ve organic?

(co-financed by the EU)

Printemps Bio 2011

(co-financed by the EU)

UK: ‘There are lots reasons to love organic. What’s yours?’

www.whyiloveorganic.co.uk

Austria: Ich will Bio!

www.bioinfo.at

Italy: BIO sotto la casa

www.aiab.it

www.printempsbio.comwww.agencebio.org

France: Printemps Bio

Spreading rapidly and to be seen everywhere Spreading rapidly and to be seen everywhere as from 1 July 2012…as from 1 July 2012…

• Labelling rules• Logo design (for download)• User manual• Questions and Answers• Promotional material

Where to find more information:Where to find more information:

www.organic-farming.europa.eu

Thank you for your Thank you for your attention!attention!

www.organic-farming.europa.euwww.organic-farming.europa.eu