Council and Parliament strike deal on updated measures to support organic farming in the EU
The Irish presidency of the Council and the European Parliament have reached a provisional agreement on updated rules for the production, labelling, certification and trade of organic products. The aim is to support the competitiveness of the EU’s organic sector while maintaining high standards and consumer trust.
This targeted revision will make existing rules clearer and easier to apply. It will reduce administrative burdens for farmers and businesses, particularly smaller operators, and provide greater legal certainty for imports of organic products. It will also help ensure continuity in international trade, while preserving the integrity of the EU organic label.
“Today, the Irish Presidency has delivered a strong result for farmers, consumers and the agri-food sector.
Today’s agreement on the Targeted Amendments to the EU Organics Regulation demonstrates our commitment to supporting sustainable agriculture and creating the conditions for the organic sector to continue to thrive across the European Union.”
Martin Heydon – Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine of Ireland
Main elements of the agreement
The agreement introduces targeted changes to the EU’s existing framework for organic products. Additionally, the regulation will provide clarity to operators on the rules for importing organic products from countries with standards recognised as equivalent to those in the EU. This will give operators greater predictability while helping consumers make informed choices and ensuring fair competition between EU and non-EU producers.
Simplified rules for small operators
The provisionally agreed rules introduce simplification measures, in line with the Council’s negotiating mandate, to reduce administrative burdens, particularly for small operators.
Under current rules, small operators selling unpackaged organic products, such as loose fruit and vegetables, directly to consumers are exempt from certification requirements. Under the revised rules, the annual turnover threshold for this exemption will increase from €20 000 to €40 000 per year, calculated as the annual average over the previous five years. The annual sales volume threshold will also rise from 5 000 kg to 10 000 kg.
The colegislators also agreed to extend the exemption, under certain conditions, to small online retailers selling pre-packed organic products.
Clearer rules for imported organic products
The agreement clarifies that products imported from non-EU countries whose organic production rules are recognised as equivalent to EU standards can continue to be marketed using terms such as ‘organic’. These products may use the organic logo of their country of origin.
They would also be able to use the EU organic logo however only if they comply with additional production and monitoring requirements beyond those covered by equivalence, for instance relating to living soil, animal welfare and processing methods.
This approach provides greater clarity for operators while safeguarding consumer trust in the EU organic logo and ensuring fair competition between EU and non-EU producers.
The organic rules applied by 11 non-EU countries, including Argentina, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, are currently recognised as equivalent to EU standards. This recognition is due to expire on 31 December 2026, and today’s agreement extends it until 31 December 2036. This will provide long-term predictability for operators and help avoid disruption to international trade, which is important for the EU organic sector.
No EU organic logo for products with non-compliant ingredients
The Council and Parliament agreed to remove the Commission’s proposal to allow the EU organic label to be used on products containing less than 5% of ingredients from non-EU countries that do not meet additional criteria.
Temporary flexibility
The agreement provides temporary flexibility for the use of non-organic protein feed for poultry and pigs, as well as for aquaculture juveniles. These derogations will be phased out gradually.
Smooth transition to the new rules
To ensure the smooth implementation of the revised framework and avoid potential market disruptions, products already labelled under the existing rules may continue to be sold until stocks are exhausted.
The agreement also provides for transitional arrangements to ensure continuity and legal certainty for imported organic products and international trade as the new rules take effect.
Next steps
The provisional agreement must now be endorsed by the Council and the Parliament. Following legal-linguistic revision, the regulation will be formally adopted by both institutions.
The aim is to complete its adoption before the end of 2026, when the current recognition arrangements for imported organic products are due to expire, providing operators with legal certainty and helping prevent any disruption to trade.
Background
Organic farming plays an important role in the EU’s transition towards more sustainable food systems. According to the European Commission, the area of organic farmland has grown by 79%, from 9.5 million to 16.9 million hectares. This has gone hand in hand with growing consumer demand and increased recognition of the EU organic logo, now the best-known food logo in Europe.
The EU framework for organic production is established by regulation (EU) 2018/848, which has been in force since January 2022. It sets common rules for organic production, certification and labelling across the EU, helping to uphold high standards, ensure fair competition and maintain consumer confidence.
The revision agreed today is part of the Commission’s roadmap ‘Organic rulebook fit for the future’. The proposal aimed to clarify the rules for consumers and operators and followed a judgment by the Court of Justice of 4 October 2024, which stated that imported products recognised under equivalence arrangements cannot use the EU organic logo.
