CALL FOR EVIDENCE

FOR AN INITIATIVE (without an impact assessment)

Title of the initiative

Organic production rules – targeted amendment (Regulation (EU) 2018/848)

Lead DG – responsible unit

Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development - Unit B.4 – Organics

Likely Type of initiative

REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

Indicative Timing

Q4 2025

Additional Information

Organic farming - European Commission

This document is for information purposes only. It does not prejudge the final decision of the Commission on whether this initiative will be pursued or on its final content. All elements of the initiative described by this document, including its timing, are subject to change.

A. Political context, problem definition and subsidiarity check

Political context

Organic farming is a key part of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union (EU). Defined at EU level since 1992, the proportion of organically farmed land has been steadily growing to 11% today. Consumers increasingly purchase organic food, recognisable thanks to an EU logo and a common label. To promote the organic sector, the Commission, besides financially supporting the sector through the CAP, has rolled out an EU Action Plan for the Development of Organic Production, prompting EU countries to develop their own national organic farming strategies. Recently, the key role of organic farming has been further underscored in the Commission's Vision for Agriculture and Food, adopted in 2025, which also reaffirms the importance of continued support for this sector under the CAP.

The production and labelling of organic products are governed by Regulation (EU) 2018/848, which establishes the detailed rules underpinning organic production as the EU highest standard of environmentally sustainable agricultural production. This regulation sets out high standards for organic production in the EU and these standards must be maintained. However, to facilitate the growth and competitiveness of the organic sector, and in line with the objective of simplifying the regulatory framework that affects farmers and the entire agri-food value chain as underlined in the Vision for Agriculture and Food, it is essential to review a limited number of elements of existing legislation.

Problem the initiative aims to tackle

To make EU organic production more competitive and ensure stable rules for trade in organic products, the provisions for the sector that have been in place since 2022 (Regulation (EU) 2018/848) require a targeted adjustment to create a regulatory framework that is more efficient and easier to implement.

Firstly, it is important to provide clarity and certainty for operators about the rules in place for the import of organic products under the equivalence scheme following the Herbaria II Court case. This is also necessary to ensure the EU organic logo reliably informs consumers about the rules and method of production for products placed on the EU market.

Secondly, it is important to avoid potential disruptions of trade in organic products with 11 equivalent non-EU countries, whose recognition deadline is set to expire on 31 December 2026. In fact, the discontinuation of the respective recognition systems from which the whole EU organic sector benefits must be avoided through an extension of this deadline.

Finally, while Regulation (EU) 2018/848 is recognised as providing a sound basis for a reliable and growing organic sector in the EU, some unnecessary complexity of the current regulatory framework has been pointed out on numerous occasions by Member States and stakeholders. Removing these complexities in a targeted way aims to make EU organic production more competitive and reduce the regulatory burden. Complexities have already been identified in relation to:

·livestock production rules on quails, on the withdrawal period following allopathic veterinary medicinal treatment, on poultry houses for fattening and on access to open air areas for poultry until a certain age;

·products and substances for cleaning and disinfection in processing and storage facilities;

·eligibility criteria for groups of operators and small sellers of unpacked organic products. 

Basis for EU action (legal basis and subsidiarity check)

Legal basis

Article 43(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union is the legal basis for the Commission to present a proposal for this amendment to a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council, pursuant to its right of initiative as laid down in Article 17 of the Treaty on European Union.

Practical need for EU action

The rules governing organic production and labelling are established in a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council, under shared competence between the EU and its Member States. A unified EU-wide organic scheme is essential for the smooth functioning of the single market, it secures European consumers’ access to genuine organic foods produced across the EU according to the same standards and it enables the EU to adopt a common position in trade negotiations. The objectives of Regulation (EU) 2018/848 require a harmonised EU approach, which is more effective than 27 national schemes. As Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union states, the EU is well placed to provide such a unified framework. This will ensure a level playing field for operators, facilitate the free movement of organic products, and strengthen the EU's position in international trade.

B. What does the initiative aim to achieve and how

The initiative aims to bring certainty about organic goods imported under the equivalence scheme, ensuring clear rules on trade with non-EU countries in organic products and trust in the EU organic logo. The targeted amendments will aim to remove unnecessary burdens and simplify some overly restrictive production rules in relation to, for example, the areas of livestock production, cleaning and disinfection of processing and storage facilities, composition of groups of operators and rules for small sellers outlined above. The initiative seeks to maintain the very high standards of EU organic farming by encouraging its development.

Likely impacts

The initiative is expected to have a targeted impact on the organic sector, with benefits for farmers, businesses and consumers. In addition to bringing the necessary certainty for organic goods imported under equivalence schemes and to extending the deadline for the recognition of equivalent non-EU countries, the initiative is expected to benefit the organic sector and to reduce costs, as well as decreasing the administrative burden. The initiative may also facilitate investments and lead to the creation of employment opportunities in the organic sector, particularly in rural areas, and contribute to the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices. At the same time, it will have minimal impacts on the EU’s trade partners.

The initiative is not expected to have significant impacts on fundamental rights and equality. However, it may contribute to increased access to organic products for consumers. It will also contribute to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, and SDG 13: Climate Action.

Future monitoring

The Commission will monitor the progress of and developments in the sector in relation to the targeted amendments in its regular meetings with Member States and stakeholders’ representatives (Group of Expert and Civil Dialogue Group on organic production). In relation to equivalences with non-EU countries, the Commission will continue ensuring their appropriate supervision as already set out in Article 48 of Regulation (EU) 2018/848.

C. Better regulation

Impact assessment

Given the urgent need for action, a Staff Working Document will be published and accompany the proposal. This document will describe the measures proposed and their impacts and present the evidence justifying the measures based on the extensive feedback gathered through targeted consultations with Member States and stakeholders, and the feedback on this call for evidence. The proposed measures will be targeted and will not alter the overall functioning of the legislation or affect the objectives of the organic legislation or the CAP’s ones. This approach ensures a proportionate and efficient decision-making process, while still providing transparency and accountability.

Consultation strategy

The Commission regularly exchanges information with Member States and stakeholders and also gathers their views on aspects that could be changed in the organic legislation. The Fit for Future (F4F) Platform also gave an opinion in 2024 on simplifying the organic legislation. To follow up, the Commission consulted Member States (Group of Experts on Organic Production (GREX)) and stakeholders (Civil Dialogue Group on organic farming (CDG)) in Q1-Q2 2025 on this matter, to get practical feedback.

On 24 September 2025, a combined GREX-CDG meeting was held to stress-test Regulation (EU) 2018/848. An implementation dialogue on the organic policy, chaired by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen, is planned in November 2025.

Finally, consultations of Member States and stakeholders on organic farming have also taken place. These focused on simplifying aspects of organic farming in the context of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). This initiative is based on relevance, proportionality and fitness for purpose.

Respondents to this call for evidence are invited to share factual information and documentary evidence (quantitative or qualitative) on the measurement of the burden reduction and of costs and benefits in relation to the aspects mentioned above. They are also invited to share their views on other aspects of the organic legislative framework that could be simplified. All consultation activities, including responses to this call for evidence, will be consolidated in the Staff Working Document accompanying the Commission’s legal proposal.