EP News, 28 September 2006
The EP adopted a consultation report by Friedrich-Wilhelm Graefe zu Baringdorf (Greens/EFA, DE) on a Commission proposal to amend the regulation on organic production and indications. The changes are a transitional measure until the new Regulation comes into force, and they concentrate on tightening rules for the recognition of imported organic products.
The Parliament has suggested several changes to the Commission proposal, seeking to toughen the rules for third country imports. The report calls for the country of origin to be clearly identifiable by consumers and maintains that the EU "recognition of third countries [...] must be reciprocal: the third country concerned must also grant EU organic products access to its market."
The House also supported the creation of a "public Community EU-import databank, coordinated by the European Food Safety Authority." It asked that third-country control bodies issue certificates according to characteristics defined by the Commission, that these control bodies be accredited in the Community and that they be subject to on-the-spot checks by national authorities.