Opinion of the Advocate General — ECLI:EU:C:2017:438
Date: 2017-06-08
Language of the case: German
Subject matter: Agriculture and Fisheries;Foodstuffs;Consumer protection
Procedure: Reference for a preliminary ruling
Origin: Germany

Summary — Judgment of the Court (Ninth Chamber), 12 October 2017 1. Agriculture — Common agricultural policy — Organic production and labelling of organic products — Regulation No 834/2007 — Control system — Compulsory compliance of producers — Discretion of the Member States to grant an exemption — Restrictive interpretation (Council Regulation No 834/2007, Arts 27 and 28(1) and (2)) 2. Agriculture — Common agricultural policy — Organic production and labelling of organic products — Regulation No 834/2007 — Control system — Compulsory compliance of producers — Discretion of the Member States to grant an exemption — Restriction to operators selling products directly to the consumer — Definition (Council Regulation No 834/2007, Art. 28(2)) 1. See the text of the decision. (see paras 20, 21) 2. Article 28(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 of 28 June 2007 on organic production and labelling of organic products and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 must be interpreted as meaning that, in order for products to be regarded as being sold ‘directly’, within the meaning of that provision, to the final consumer or user, it is necessary for the sale to occur in the presence of both the operator or his sales personnel and the final consumer. (see para. 34, operative part)