Food Law News - EU - 2004


Council Press Release (6199/04), 24 February 2004

ORGANIC FOOD - Adoption of Regulation on Organic production

The following is an extract from the minutes of the 2564th Council meeting - Agriculture and Fisheries - Brussels, 24 February 2004

The Council adopted a Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto in agricultural products and foodstuffs (6159/04 + 6214/04 ADD 1) by a qualified majority, with the Spanish delegation voting against.

The new Regulation provides for Community wide protection of certain terms used to indicate to consumers that a food or a feed product, or its ingredients, have been obtained in accordance with the organic production method laid down in that Regulation. The protection also applies to the usual derivatives or diminutives of these terms, whether they are used alone or combined and independently of which language is used. It also provides an inspection system for operators contracting out any of the activities of production, preparation, storing or imports from a third country. However operators who sell organic products directly to the final consumer may be granted an exemption from the obligation to notify the activity to the competent authority and to submit their undertakings to the established inspection system.

A joint statement by Council and Commission states that Annex III of the Regulation could be amended by 1 July 2005 in order to adapt it to the new inspection system. In fact the inspection should be run on the basis of a prior risk-analysis assessment.

The Spanish delegation issued a statement regarding the use of the wording "bio" as regards organic products.


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