2 Organic food and farming
| (25741)
10436/04
COM(04) 415
+ ADD 1
| Commission Communication: European Action Plan for Organic Food and Farming
Commission staff working document: Annex to Communication on European Action Plan for Organic Food and Farming
|
| Legal base | — |
| Document originated | 10 June 2004
|
| Deposited in Parliament | 16 June 2004
|
| Department | Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
|
| Basis of consideration | EM of 28 June 2004
|
| Previous Committee Report | None, but see footnote 3 below
|
| To be discussed in Council | Second half of 2004
|
| Committee's assessment | Politically important
|
| Committee's decision | Not cleared; further information awaited
|
Background
2.1 The requirements, including labelling, which agricultural
products and foodstuffs must meet in order to be regarded as organic
are currently laid down in Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91.[2]
Since that Regulation was enacted, there have been a number of
significant developments, most notably the increased emphasis
which the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) now places upon environmentally-friendly
production and food quality as a result of Agenda 2000 and the
subsequent mid-term review; the wider part, recognised by the
Council in 1999, which organic production can play in the integration
of the environment and sustainable development into the CAP; the
need identified in the Communitys Sixth Environmental Action Programme
to encourage more environmentally responsible farming; and the
need, endorsed by the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable
Development in September 2002, to support World Trade Organisation
(WTO) initiatives to expand markets for environmentally-friendly
goods and services. Against this background, the Commission sought
in a staff working paper[3]
at the end of 2002 to analyse the possibility of a European Action
Plan for organic food and farming, noting that it intended before
the end of 2003 to propose further steps. It has now done so
in the present document, which comprises a Communication setting
out the proposed Action Plan, accompanied by an updated staff
working document.
The current document current document
2.2 The Commission first summarises the impact of organic farming
on the environment, identifying in particular a reduction in
pesticide use, lower nitrogen levels, increased soil protection
arising from greater crop rotation and mixed grazing, the preservation
of biodiversity and natural habitats, and reduced energy use.
It suggests that other areas where benefits arise include rural
development (through higher added value and labour intensity,
coupled perhaps with the boost to tourism which a more attractive
rural environment might provide) and animal welfare (where a number
of organic requirements go further than the mandatory provisions
applicable in this area).
2.3 It then traces the development of organic production,
and the reasons for this. It notes that, although organic production
was originally developed in certain Member States (including the
UK) in the first part of the twentieth century, it did not really
take off until the 1980s, as a result of consumer interest. However,
it says that further development was hampered by a lack of clarity
over what such production actually covered, a problem which the
Council sought to address by its adoption of Regulation 2092/91.
Since then, there has been a very rapid growth in both the
supply base and the market, with Member States having adopted
programmes to promote organic production, thus complementing the
efforts already made by the private sector. As a result, it says
that the organic sector now accounts for about 2% of the value
of total agricultural production in the Community.
2.4 The Commission goes on to analyse in greater
detail a number of factors which affect the development of organic
farming, which it identifies as having a dual role — on
the one hand meeting consumers needs, and on the other delivering
public goods, such as environmental benefits. It suggests that
much depends upon consumers' perception that quality is higher
than that of non-organic products, but cautions that this is a
subjective concept. At the same time, however, it notes that the
reasons for not buying organic produce include lack of availability,
doubts as to its true organic nature, and, most importantly, price
(where it says the typical premium for consumers is about 50-60%,
reflecting in part at least higher costs of production and distribution).
The paper also suggests that, although there has been a tendency
to regard organic markets as unlimited, an organic premium can
in practice be maintained only if the growth of supply and demand
is in line.
2.5 Other factors noted in the paper are the importance
of better consumer information; the variations in the standards
applied by different regions, coupled with a lack of transparency
and an unwillingness of inspection bodies to recognise each other's
standards; the need for a wider use of the Community logo, in
order to facilitate trade and enlarge the overall market in the
Community; and the collection of more complete data on the production
and marketing of organic products. Finally, the paper notes that
organic farmers not only receive support under the Common Agricultural
Policy through its direct payments and price support measures,
but are well placed to benefit from, and contribute to, the agri-environmental
benefits associated with its rural development pillar; that, if
the sector is to expand, research into new processing technologies
is especially important since the use of additives in processed
organic products is restricted; and that, if consumer confidence
is to be maintained, there should be agreed production standards
and reliable controls throughout the organic chain.
2.6 Against this background, the report sets out
a number of proposed actions, including:
·giving
the Commission greater power to organise information and promotion
campaigns, in conjunction with Member States;
·establishing
a database, listing the various national standards and comparing
these with the Community standard;
·improving
the collection of statistical data on both the production of,
and market for, organic produce;
·allowing
Member States to give aids topping up Community support for those
fruit and vegetable producer organisations involved in organic
production;
·developing
a web-based list of Community measures which can be used by the
organic sector;
·encouraging
Member States to make full use within their rural development
programmes of the instruments available to support organic farming;
·strengthening
research on organic agriculture and production methods;
·achieving
greater transparency by defining the basic principles of organic
agriculture;
·ensuring
the integrity of organic agriculture by reinforcing standards;
·completing
and further harmonising the standards for organic agriculture,
in areas such as additives, animal welfare, energy use, biodiversity
and landscape;
·establishing
an independent expert panel for technical advice;
·clarifying
the relationship between labelling of organic produce and that
containing genetically modified organisms;
·improving
the performance of inspection bodies by targeting operators presenting
the highest risk, by ensuring better coordination between them,
and by developing a specific accreditation system;
·developing
sampling and analytical methods which can be used in organic farming;
·stepping
up efforts to ensure that produce from third countries complies
with the standards applicable within the Community;
·stepping
up efforts towards global harmonisation and the development of
a multilateral concept of equivalency, based on Codex Alimentarius
guidelines; and
·reinforcing
recognition by third countries of Community organic farming standards
and inspection systems.
The Government's view
2.7 In his Explanatory Memorandum of 28 June 2004,
the Minister for Nature Conservation and Fisheries at the Department
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Ben Bradshaw) says
that the constituent parts of the UK already have Organic Action
Plans or similar documents, but that the proposed Plan —
which the Government has broadly supported —
would for the first time give a European perspective for the development
of organic food and farming. However, he points out that the various
actions proposed by the Commission are in general terms, and that
further development will be required to put them into effect.
He also says that UK organic food and farming interests will be
consulted on the Plan, and that an analysis will be submitted
by means of a further Explanatory Memorandum in due course. In
the meantime, he expects that, following the referral of the Plan
to a meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 21 June
2004, it will receive a more detailed consideration during the
Netherlands Presidency in the second half of 2004, although there
is at present no timetable.
Conclusion
2.8 In many ways, the current document covers
ground similar to that contained in the earlier Community staff
working paper on which we reported in February 2003, and, although
it takes this a stage further by proposing a number of action
points, these are —
as the Minister has pointed out —
couched in fairly general terms, and will presumably need to be
followed by more specific proposals if they are to be put into
effect. This makes it difficult for us to take a clear view on
the precise significance of the document. We note that the Government
intends to provide in due course a further Explanatory Memorandum
giving an analysis of the consultations it intends to hold. In
view of this, we think it would be sensible to consider the matter
further when that information is available, but we are in the
meantime drawing the document to the attention of the House.
2 OJ No. L.198, 22.7.91, p.1. Back
3
(24239) 15619/02; see HC 63-xiii (2002-03), para 10 (26 February
2003). Back
| 
