The European Commission is proposing to tighten controls across the whole organic supply chain according to a leaked report seen by the German magazine Der Spiegel.
The magazine says the Commission is acting on growing consumer concerns “about how genuine supposedly organic products really are”. It’s a concern that is confronted directly in the draft EC document, which warns: “In the long run, standards that are not trustworthy can jeopardize public confidence and lead to market failure.”
The EU Farming Commissioner Dacian Ciolos wants to introduce a number of new rules for the production and sale of foods carrying an ‘organic’ label. These include a proposal to end current arrangements allowing farmers to engage in both organic and conventional farming, new systems to ensure forbidden substances – like pesticides – don’t find their way into organic produce, and tighter rules on animal feed.
The Commission also wants to see a general tightening on controls on the organic supply chain with more scrutiny of wholesalers, retailers and sub-contractors.
• Read the Der Spiegel report here
