Debate: EU action plan for organic agriculture
Date: MONDAY, 2 MAY 2022
Speaker: Janusz Wojciechowski
Language: EN

The Commission shares Parliament’s goal of the European food system delivering sustainably produced and nutritious food at affordable prices, and ensuring food security in a way that ensures a healthy society and healthy planet contribute to social and economic well-being, protect the health of the ecosystems, and ensure the profitability of agricultural production and therefore of fair living for farmers.  To contribute to the achievement of this goal, the Commission has included in both the farm to fork strategy and the biodiversity strategy, the Green Deal target of 25% of European Union agricultural land under organic farming by 2030, and a significant increase in organic aquaculture.  The reason for this commitment to organics is the various benefits that organics can bring. The increased area to 25% of organic production will also contribute to other objectives of the farm to fork strategy, in particular, it is expected to contribute to the target of a 50% reduction in the use and risk of pesticides.  In this context, we are pleased to observe that Parliament recognises the various environmental benefits that organic agriculture offers, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions, increased carbon storage by plus 26% compared to conventional, and its potential to help the agricultural sector play its part in the fight against climate change, while addressing key challenges such as the loss of jobs in rural areas, soil fertility and biodiversity loss, as well as promoting resilience in the face of economic challenges. To support the achievement of the 25% Green Deal target, the Commission has adopted on 25 March 2021, the action plan for the development of organic production. This plan takes a demand-driven approach and aims first and foremost to increase the demand for organic products. At the same time, it goes beyond demand and takes a comprehensive approach in the sense that it also aims to increase further the supply of organic products and the sustainability of the organic sector.  It addresses the public sector at all levels of governance – EU Member States, regions and cities – and the private sector along the value chain: farmers, food processors, wholesale, retail, etc. It also puts much emphasis on research and innovation, which can really make the difference in creating a competitive and sustainable farming system.  Against this background, the Commission welcomes Parliament’s overall support for its communication on an action plan for the development of organic production, and in particular its favourable stance – the objective of increasing the European Union’s agricultural area under organic farming by 2030 through the development of supply and demand – and the Commission’s recognition of organic farming as one of the main components on the EU path towards more sustainable food systems. In particular, in this period where it is of the utmost importance to reduce the long-term dependency on chemical raw materials, organic farming that doesn’t use any chemicals, inputs for fertilisation or pest control increases the resilience of the European food system.  The Commission is looking forward to the final adoption of this report and its recommendations. They will contribute to support the development of organic agriculture in the European Union.  Honourable Members, I thank you for your attention and will be happy to listen to your comments and suggestions.