WRITTEN QUESTION E-2778/00

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Organic farming

Will the Commission please indicate its assessment of the length of time recognised in each Member State for a horticulturist to convert from conventional production techniques to organic growing? Will it confirm that the period may vary from as little as six months in some Member States to two years in others? Will it also indicate whether, in each Member State, this conversion is recognised by the trade or similar body (such as the Soil Association in the UK) or by statute? Does it consider that the distortions to competition which may result warrant a directive establishing a common standard or at least common labelling for the EU?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(4 October 2000)

According to the provisions of Annex I, part A of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91(1), the conversion period, during which the principles of organic farming have to be applied, is for horticultural crops at least two years before sowing of the crop. In the case of perennial crops (e.g. fruit trees), the conversion period is at least three years before the first harvest of the crop. Moreover, it is provided that the inspection body may, with the approval of the competent authority, decide in certain cases to extend or reduce the conversion period, having regard to previous use of the parcels.

The Council has thus given flexibility with regard to the length of the conversion period in order to take into account the previous use of the parcels concerned. The implementation of this flexibility is delegated to the approved inspection bodies, under approval by the Member State. Effectively, the regulation provided the conversion period in order to ensure elimination of residues of previous fertiliser and pesticide use from the soils before products harvested therefrom were marketed with the organic label. Also the regulation provides that at the start of the implementation of the organic production method, an inspection body has to visit the farm, define the parcels and establish the previous use of fertilisers and pesticides which are not accepted in organic farming(2). The inspection body is therefore well placed to define, under control of the Member State, whether in certain cases the length of the conversion period can be reduced.

Since the adoption of Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91, the Commission has discussed several times in the working group of the standing committee on organic farming the implementation of this provision in the Member States. Recently a discussion was organised in which the Member States explained their practices with regard to the cases or circumstances where they would accept the shortening of the conversion period. It has appeared that in all the Member States reduction of the conversion period is applied under certain conditions, which effectively may differ to a certain extent between them. Reductions are however only accepted in cases where it has been demonstrated that the parcels were natural areas, or were not in use, or were not treated for at least two years with products which are not accepted under Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91. Certain Member States have however installed a practice by which the conversion period is under no circumstances reduced under 12 months, while most Member States do not apply such minimum period.

Currently the Commission is considering in the above mentioned working group the possibility of introducing such unconditional minimum period as a rule in Annex I of the Regulation. The reactions from all Member States are not yet known, but first reactions show that some Member States want to maintain a high flexibility in defining the length of the conversion period when it has been adequately demonstrated that for a certain period there has been no use of fertilisers or pesticides which are not accepted under Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91.

Finally, it should be underlined that the Regulation does not prevent certain private organisations from imposing stricter provisions in order to satisfy the use of their private label.

(1) Council Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 of 24 June 1991 on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs (OJ L 198, 22.7.1991), as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1437/2000 (OJ L 161, 1.7.2000).

(2) See annex III, section A1, point 2 of Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91.