ORGANIC PRODUCTION AND THE LABELLING OF
ORGANIC PRODUCTS (5101/06)
Letter from the Chairman to Lord Rooker,
Minister of State for Sustainable Farming and Food, Department
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
At its meeting on 22 November 2006 Sub-Committee
D considered your Explanatory Memorandum on the above RIA.
We note the contents and believe that proposed
approach of supporting the legislation but seeking certain changes
is a sensible one.
Before deciding, however, whether to clear the
document from scrutiny, we would appreciate some clarification
from you on the changes that you are supporting and on whether
you are likely to be able to secure sufficient support in Council
for them.
We will therefore retain the proposal under
scrutiny pending further information from you on discussions in
Council.
22 November 2006
Letter from Lord Rooker to the Chairman
Thank you for your letter of 22 November 2006
following consideration by Sub-Committee D of the Supplementary
Explanatory Memorandum 5101/06 and RIA. You confirmed in your
letter that you agreed with the suggested approach of supporting
the legislation but seeking changes, but asked for clarification
of what these were and what levels of support existed.
The two main changes that we have asked for
that will benefit the UK operator are to lift the requirement
to use separate production lines for animal food and to exempt
wholesalers dealing in pre-packed goods from the regulation. Both
these changes have been incorporated into recent compromise texts,
and we do not see that there is substantial opposition elsewhere.
Neither point is crucial for any other Member State. We have also
suggested some changes on the article that deals with trade with
third countries. Several Member States were unhappy with the initial
Commission proposal and suggested similar changes.
After several meetings of the Council Working
Group, Special Committee on Agriculture and tri-laterals with
the Presidency and Commission, it appears that the draft is in
a form that could be accepted by the majority of Member States.
Recent meetings have shown that even on the most controversial
issue in the proposal, the prohibition of the use of GMs, it seems
that the majority of Member States are willing to accept the Commission's
proposal as a workable solution.
The Commission intend to bring the proposal
to December Agriculture and Fisheries Council for a decision on
the general approach of the proposal.
30 Novermber 2006
Letter from the Chairman to Lord Rooker
Thank you for your letter of 30 November 2006
on this subject, which was considered by Sub-Committee D at its
meeting on 6 December.
The Committee took note of the further information
which you provided and agreed to clear the proposal from scrutiny.
6 December 2006
| 
