An agreement on rules for the production, labelling, certification and trade of organic products has been described as "a strong result for farmers" by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon.

It was provisionally agreed upon today (Tuesday, October 20), by the Irish presidency of the European Council and the European Parliament.

The aim is to “support the competitiveness of the EU’s organic sector while maintaining high standards and consumer trust”.

It is expected that this targeted revision will make existing rules clearer and easier to apply.

It is intended to reduce administrative burdens for farmers and businesses, particularly smaller operators, and provide greater legal certainty for imports of organic products.

According to the EU, it will also help ensure continuity in international trade, while preserving the integrity of the EU organic label.

Minister Heydon said: “Today, the Irish presidency has delivered a strong result for farmers, consumers and the agri-food sector.

“Today’s agreement on the Targeted Amendments to the EU Organics Regulation demonstrates our commitment to supporting sustainable agriculture and creating the conditions for the organic sector to continue to thrive across the European Union.”

Main elements of the agreement

The agreement introduces targeted changes to the EU’s existing framework for organic products.

Additionally, the EU said regulation will provide “clarity” to operators on the rules for importing organic products from countries with standards recognised as equivalent to those in the EU.

It added: “This will give operators greater predictability while helping consumers make informed choices and ensuring fair competition between EU and non-EU producers.

Under current rules, small operators selling unpackaged organic products, such as loose fruit and vegetables directly to consumers, are exempt from certification requirements.

Under the revised rules, the annual turnover threshold for this exemption will increase from €20,000 to €40,000 per year, calculated as the annual average over the previous five years.

The annual sales volume threshold will also rise from 5,000kg to 10,000kg.

The EU has also agreed to extend the exemption, under certain conditions, to small online retailers selling pre-packed organic products.

Clearer rules for imported organic products

The agreement clarifies that products imported from non-EU countries whose organic production rules are recognised as equivalent to EU standards can continue to be marketed using terms such as 'organic'.

These products may use the organic logo of their country of origin.

They would also be able to use the EU organic logo, however only if they comply with additional production and monitoring requirements beyond those covered by equivalence, for instance relating to living soil, animal welfare and processing methods.

The organic rules applied by 11 non-EU countries, including Argentina, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, are currently recognised as equivalent to EU standards.

This recognition is due to expire on December 31, 2026, and today’s agreement extends it until December 31, 2036.

This is intended to provide long-term predictability for operators and help avoid disruption to international trade, which is important for the EU organic sector.

Other rules

There will be no EU organic logo for products with non-compliant ingredients.

The council and parliament agreed to remove the commission’s proposal to allow the EU organic label be used on products containing less than 5% of ingredients from non-EU countries that do not meet additional criteria.

Also, the agreement provides temporary flexibility for the use of non-organic protein feed for poultry and pigs, as well as for aquaculture juveniles.

These derogations will be phased out gradually.

To ensure the smooth implementation of the revised framework and avoid potential market disruptions, products already labelled under the existing rules may continue to be sold until stocks are exhausted.

The agreement also provides for transitional arrangements to ensure continuity and legal certainty for imported organic products and international trade as the new rules take effect.

The provisional agreement must now be endorsed by the council and the parliament.

The aim is to complete its adoption before the end of 2026, when the current recognition arrangements for imported organic products are due to expire.