Voluntary Report - public distribution

**Date:** 6/27/2005

**GAIN Report Number:** E35121

E35121

**EU-25**

**Organic Products**

**Prolongation of the derogation for imports of organic products to the
EU**

**2005**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)Norval E. Francis, Jr.

U.S. Mission to the EU

**Prepared by:**

Karin Bendz

**Report Highlights:**

The European Commission has proposed a prolongation of the derogation
for imports of organic products to the EU. US organic exports would be
covered by this prolongation.

The proposal has been agreed on in the Special Committee on Agriculture
and is currently awaiting the opinion of the European Parliament before
it can be voted in a Council meeting.

Includes PSD Changes: No

Includes Trade Matrix: No

Unscheduled Report

Brussels USEU \[BE2\]

\[E3\]

**Prolongation of the derogation on imports of organic products
proposed.**

The European Commission has made a proposal for a council regulation to
amend regulation 2092/91 (organic farming).

In article 11(6) of Regulation 2092/91 it says that competent
authorities of the Member States (MS) can grant authorization to market
products imported from third countries not included on the EU's list of
"equivalent" third countries. US organic exports to the EU are covered
by this import authorization system.

In the European Organic Action Plan, the Commission announced that it
would propose that these current derogations for third country imports
would be replaced by a new permanent system.

To develop and establish this new permanent system, sufficient time is
needed. In the meantime, to avoid trade disruptions the Commission
proposes that the existing measures that end 31 December 2005 should
instead end 31 December 2006.

The Commission proposal was agreed upon in SCA (Special Committee on
Agriculture) on June 6. The Commission is now waiting for the opinion of
the European Parliament and after that the proposal can be voted in a
Council meeting.

**Visit our website:** our website
**[www.useu.be/agri/usda.html]{.underline}** provides a broad range of
useful information on EU import rules and food laws and allows easy
access to USEU reports, trade information and other practical
information.

E-mail: AgUSEUBrussels@usda.gov

**Related reports from USEU Brussels:**

  ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------ --------------------
  **Report Number**                                            **Title**                            **Date Released**

  E35075                                                       Is the CAP reform a boost for        04/21/05
                                                               organic production?                  

  E34099                                                       Possible changes in EU-legislation   12/08/04
                                                               for organic farming                  

  E34075                                                       European Council adopts Organic      10/19/04
                                                               Action Plan                          

  E34025                                                       European Action plan for Organic     06/21/04
                                                               Food & Farming                       

  These reports can be accessed through our website                                                 
  [www.useu.be/agri](http://www.useu.be/agri) or through the                                        
  FAS website                                                                                       
  <http://www.fas.usda.gov/scriptsw/attacherep/default.asp>.                                        
  ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------ --------------------