31.8.92 NoC223/28 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities
OpinionontheproposalforaCouncilRegulation (EEC)amendingCouncilRegulation
(EEC)No2092/91of24June1991onorganicproductionofagriculturalproductsand
indicationsreferringtheretoonagriculturalproductsandfoodstuffs(*)
(92/C223/10)
On27March1992theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee,
underArticle198oftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunityonthe
abovementioned proposal.
TheSectionforAgricultureandFisheries,whichwasresponsibleforpreparingtheCom­
mittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon12May1992.TheRapporteurwas
MrGardner.
Atits297thPlenarySession(meetingof26May1992),theEconomicandSocialCommittee
unanimouslyadoptedthefollowingOpinion.
1.Introduction regulationswhichhavetobeacceptedbytheEEC
before24June1992.Thishasnotyethappenedand
importsthereforewouldhavetoceasebythatdate.
3.TheCommissionproposal
3.1.Giventheabove,theCommissionproposedthat
theimportershouldobtainevidencefromthethird
countrysupplierthattheproductismadetoEEC
standardsandthatequivalentinspectionisexercised.
Thisprocedureislimitedtothreeyearsbutmaybe
prolongedifthethirdcountryisunabletosetupofficial
proceduresbythistime.1.1.Organicagricultureisdefinedinthedictionary
as'agriculturewhichdoesnotusechemicalfertilizers
orpesticides'.
1.2.TheEECregulationissomewhatlessrigorous
andinfactallowsaverylimiteduseofinorganic
fertilizersandplantprotectionproducts.Italsolays
downdetailedproductionmethodswhichhavetobe
adheredtoandwhichreflectpresentpracticeamong
organicfarmers.
1.3.Organic,biological,ecological,etc.havebecome
excellentmarketingterms,suggestingthattheproducts
aremorewholesome,naturalandhealthythannormal
onesandthatthelatteraresomehowinferior.
1.4.Thereisgenerallynodetectabledifferencesuf­
ficientforcontrolpurposesbetweenorganicandnor­
mallygrownfoods.However,sincemanyconsumers
believethatorganicfoodsaremorewholesome,they
arepreparedtopaytheappreciablyhigherpriceswhich
arerequiredtoproducethem.Higherproductioncosts
areduetoreducedyieldsandhigherwastefrompests.4.Comments
4.1.Thesystemforthirdcountryimportsislesstight
thanthatforCommunityproducts.Bothsufferfrom
thegreatdefectthatthefinishedproductcannotbe
checkedforauthenticity .
4.2.AtpresentIFOAM(InternationalFederationof
OrganicAgricultureMovements )istryingtosetupan
internationalaccreditationbodytoevaluateallcertifi­
cationschemesonaworldwidebasis.Suchabody
couldcontributetoamorecrediblemethodofinspec­
tionforthirdcountryimports.2.Systemsofcontrol
2.1.Intheabsenceofviablecontrolsonthefinished
product,theregulationprovidesforinspectionsystems.
ForEECproductsthesehavetobeapprovedbythe
competentnationalauthoritiesand/orprivatebodies
authorisedbynationalauthoritiestocarryoutinspec­
tionundertheiradministrative supervision .
2.2.Forthirdcountryimportstheproducing
countriesaresupposedtosetupsimilarsystemsand5.Recommendations
5.1.TheCommitteethereforeacceptsthatthepro­
posalisthebestthatcanbeachievedatpresent.The
Committeealsorecommends :
5.1.1.Thattheproposalbelimitedtothreeyears
andreviewedinthelightofcircumstances atthattime.
5.1.2.Thattheimporterhastosubmitprooftohis
nationalinspectionbody[providedforbyArticle9or
Regulation (EEC)No2092/91]thattheimported (!)OJNoC74,25.3.1992,p.9.

31.8.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC223/29
producecomplieswithconditionsequivalenttoEEC
productionandcontrolrequirements .Approvalbythe
inspectionbodyhastobenotifiedtothecompetent
authoritiesoftheMemberState.Non-approval also
hastobesonotified.5.1.3.ThattheCommissionurgentlydevelopatest
orteststoverifythegenuinenessoforganicproducts.
ThiscouldbedonewithinEECresearchprojectssuch
asAAIR(AgriculturalandAgro-Industrial Research
programme).
DoneatBrussels,26May1992.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
MichaelGEUENICH
OpinionontheproposalforaCouncilRegulation (EEC)amendingRegulation (EEC)No
426/86onthecommonorganizationofthemarketinproductsprocessedfromfruitand
vegetables (!)
(92/C223/11
On7May1992theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee,
underArticle198oftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity ,onthe
abovementioned proposal.
TheSectionforAgricultureandFisheries,whichwasresponsibleforpreparingtheCom­
mittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon12May1992.TheRapporteurwas
MrGardner.
Atits297thPlenarySession(meetingof26May1992),theEconomicandSocialCommittee
unanimouslyadoptedthefollowingOpinion.
TheCommitteeagreeswiththeproposalsinceitbringstheRegulationintolinewiththe
actualmethodofmeasurementusedinpractice.
DoneatBrussels,26May1992.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
MichaelGEUENICH
(!)OJNoC116,7.5.1992,p.10.