Commission Regulation (EC) No 1900/98 of 4 September 1998 amending Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1900/98 of 4 September 1998 amending Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to 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 (1), as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1488/97 (2), and in particular Article 13, first and second indent,
Whereas provisions regulating the characteristics of substrates for mushroom production should be included in Annex I, in order to permit organic production of mushrooms in the Member States under the same production conditions;
Whereas the agricultural components of these substrates should come, in principle, from holdings producing according to the organic production method;
Whereas however certain components, in particular straw and manure, can currently not be obtained in sufficient quantities from organic production; whereas therefore it is appropriate to foresee an appropriate transitional period to permit producers to adapt to the new requirements;
Whereas Article 7(2), third indent, establishes the possibility to define particular labelling requirements for products obtained with the aid of certain products referred to in Annex II to Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91; whereas in this particular production, it is appropriate to foresee an informative labelling with regard to the non-organic origin of the components of the substrate during the transitional period;
Whereas further refinement of the requirements as laid down in this Regulation should be considered, in particular with regard to the conditions of use including the maximum percentage of manure not from holdings producing according to the organic production method, the characteristics and the origin of the mycelium; whereas the preparatory works in this respect should be started in due time in order to be finalised before the end of the transitional period;
Whereas the length of the transitional period may be reviewed in view of any developments with regard to the availability of straw and manure from organic production;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee referred to in Article 14 of Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91,