EN    EN EN  
EN    EN  COMMISSION OF THE E UROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 23.5.2008 
COM(2008) 314 final 
2008/0097 (CNS)   
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION 
amending Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 on organic production  
and labelling of organic products 
(presented by the Commission)  
EN 2   EN EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM  
1. C ONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL  
Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 on organi c production and labelling of organic 
products will apply as of 1 January 2009. Under Article 24(1)(b) of the Regulation, it will be 
compulsory to use an EU logo on pre-packaged or ganic products from that date. Before that 
date, the use of a Comm unity logo is optional. 
The purpose of the present proposal is to postpone the compulsory use of the EU logo 
pending the design of a new logo. 
This delay shall help to avoid: – the confusion of consumers by changing EU  logos within a short time period and 
– the creation of additional fi nancial burden for operators, who would have to change 
their packaging and print-outs w ithin a very short time frame. 
Reason for the proposal: The design of a new EU logo is necessary sin ce it turned out that the current EU logo for 
organic products according to Annex V of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 is easily 
confusable with other logos, lik e the EU logos for quality pr oduction (PDIs, PGOs and TSGs) 
pursuant to Commission Regulations (EC) No 1898/2006 and (EC) No 1216/2007. 
It is important for the perception of consumer s to ensure an informative labelling with a 
distinctive and appealing EU logo, which re presents the organic production and clearly 
identifies the products. 
To gain a broad acceptance of the new EU logo,  it should be drawn up by including the public 
in the design procedure. This will be carri ed out by a public contest during the promotion 
campaign for the organic farming wh ich will be launched in July 2008. 
This campaign is scheduled for a period of three years and this timeframe can be used for the 
organisation of the public web-contest at Euro pean level and subseque nt decision making 
process. This implies postponing the compulsory use of the EU logo until mid-2010. 
2. C
ONSULTATION OF INTERESTED PARTIES AND IMPACT ASSESSMENT  
There were several discussions wi th Member States and stakeholders on the re-design of the 
logo in a first project. It entailed the necessi ty to involve a broad public consultation and, if 
possible, to avoid textual elements within the logo. 
3. L EGAL ELEMENTS  
An additional paragraph is added in Article  42 of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 stipulating 
that Article 24(1)(b) and (c) of the Regulation will apply as of 1 July 2010. 
Legal basis: Article 37(2) of the Trea ty establishing the European Community 
The proposal complies with the proportionality principle.  
EN 3   EN 4. O THER  
There are no budgetary implications a nd no consequences for the EU budget. 
To summarise, the proposal is concise and would introduce clarity throughout the European 
organic sector.  
EN 4   EN 2008/0097 (CNS) 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION 
amending Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 on organic production  
and labelling of organic products 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing th e European Community, and in particular 
Article 37(2) thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament
1, 
Whereas: 
(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 834/20072 has introduced rules for compulsory 
indications to be used on organic produc ts, which, from 1 January 2009, includes the 
use of the Community logo on pre-packaged food according to Article 24(1)(b) of that 
Regulation. 
(2) It has appeared that the Community logo in place pursuant to Annex V of Council 
Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 of 24 June 1991 on organic producti on of agricultural 
products and indications re ferring thereto on agricultu ral products and foodstuffs3 as 
amended by Commission Re gulation (EC) No 331/20004 could be confused with other 
logos in place for protected geographical indi cations, protected designations of origin 
pursuant to Commission Regulation (EC)  No 1898/2006 of 14 December 2006 laying 
down detailed rules of implementation of  Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on 
the protection of geographical indications a nd designations of orig in for agricultural 
products and foodstuffs5and the logo for traditional sp ecialities guaranteed defined by 
Commission Regulation (EC)  No 1216/2007 of 18 October 2007 laying down detailed 
rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 509/2006 on agricultural 
products and foodstuffs as trad itional special ities guaranteed6. 
(3) It is important for the perception of consumer s to ensure an informative labelling with 
a distinctive and appealing Community l ogo, which symbolises organic production 
                                                 
1 Opinion of XXX.2008 (not yet published in the Official Journal). 
2 OJ L 189, 20.7.2007, p. 1. 
3 OJ L 198, 22.7.1991, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 123/2008, 
OJ L 38, 13.2.2008, p. 3. 
4 OJ L 48, 19.2.2000, p. 1. 
5 OJ L 369, 23.12.2006, p. 1. 
6 OJ L 275, 19.10.2007, p. 3.  
EN 5   EN and clearly identifies the products. The de sign of such a Community logo requires a 
certain time period to be developed and to be made known to the public. 
(4) In order not to avoid unnecessary financia l and organisational burden on operators, the 
compulsory use of the Community logo should be postponed for the time needed to create the new Community logo. This decision does not prev ent operators from using, 
on a voluntary basis, the current logo de fined in Annex V to Council Regulation 
(EEC) No 2092/91. 
(5) Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 should therefore be amended accordingly, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
Article 1 
In Article 42 of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007, the following fourth paragraph is added: 
"However, Article 24(1)(b) and (c) shall apply as from 1 July 2010." 
Article 2 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day after its publication in the Official 
Journal of the European Union . 
This Regulation shall be binding in  its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. 
Done at Brussels,  
 For the Council 
 The President