Recommendation
1636 (2003)1
Development of
organic farming
1. The
Parliamentary Assembly recognises that organic farming is particularly well
suited to meeting certain criteria that are increasingly present in the
framing of agricultural policy and in the minds of European consumers, as it
places the onus, inter alia, on environmental protection, food quality,
animal welfare and conservation of resources.
2. The
Assembly notes that there is growing interest in organic farming throughout
Europe, among both consumers and farmers, as demonstrated by the steady growth
in the market for organic produce despite higher production costs and purchase
prices.
3. This
development has prompted the introduction of international regulations, within
the Codex Alimentarius (FAO/WHO), and European regulations, at the
level of the European Union, but it has to be acknowledged that many Council
of Europe member states, particularly those in eastern Europe, have no
specific regulations in this area and, where regulations exist, they are not
harmonised.
4. The
Assembly advocates stronger public authority backing for organic farming in
view of its environmental benefits and positive impact as regards competition.
At the same time it is necessary to reinforce the regulations governing the
certification and labelling of organic produce.
5.
National plans of action, such as those already introduced in certain European
countries, could be drawn up with a view to planning and co-ordinating the
development of organic farming in different spheres, such as information for
producers and consumers, the processing and marketing of organic produce or
the development of openings on both domestic and export markets.
6. The
Assembly believes that, in the interests of both growth of the organic produce
market and the necessary promotion of sustainable agricultural development and
the need to guarantee improved food security, a European strategy is required
to guide the development of organic farming, together with efforts to
harmonise national policies in this sphere, not only where the European Union
and the acceding states are concerned but also at the broader level of the
Council of Europe.
7. It
notes that the European Union has initiated preliminary discussion on drawing
up a European plan of action for organic farming, but it believes that
governmental and parliamentary political action is necessary to determine the
place of organic farming alongside the other production systems, particularly
within the Common Agricultural Policy, and the support it should be given,
particularly in European Union non-member states.
8. The
Assembly considers that there are grounds for drawing up a European charter
for organic food and farming, which would make it possible, inter alia,
to establish a common line of thought and strategy for the development of
organic farming for the whole of Europe, a joint approach to regulation
-
particularly where certification and standardisation are concerned
-
to contribute to the stability and security of the entire agricultural system
and to propose alternative models for agricultural development that are more
respectful of the environment.
9.
Consequently, the Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers:
i.
invite the member states, particularly those that are not members of the
European Union, to introduce national plans of action for organic farming,
aimed in particular at:
a.
regulating the place and role of organic farming within national
agricultural policy, taking account of issues such as certification,
standardisation and labelling;
b.
supporting organic farming in the context of multifunctional farming as
part of a rural development policy taking into account social and
environmental needs;
c.
informing consumers and producers of the benefits of organic produce;
d.
fostering the development and transparency of domestic markets;
e.
supporting the commercialisation of organic farming products by giving
preferential treatment to producers that commercialise correctly certified
products;
f.
strengthening the credibility of organic farming vis-ŕ-vis consumers by
promoting the technical competence and proper staffing of bodies
responsible for its control and certification;
g.
increasing the controls of the certification procedure carried out by the
bodies responsible;
h.
promoting the development of the food industry sector for organic produce;
i.
harmonising their regulations on organic farming and the criteria for
certification with other countries in order to develop this branch and
facilitate trade at European level;
ii.
draw up a European charter for organic food and farming, which might take
the form of a recommendation to the member states, geared to:
a.
recognising the potential contribution of organic farming to agricultural
policy reform and rural development;
b. strengthening the performance
of organic farming where environmental, social and other public assets are
concerned;
c.
supporting organic producers;
d.
strengthening or developing regulatory systems for organic farming;
e.
adopting a single European quality label for organic farming products;
f.
developing organic produce supply chains;
g.
developing specific programmes for European countries that are not members
of the European Union;
h.
adopting an integrated approach, based on action plans that take account
of the dynamic nature of the organic sector and the specific circumstances
of individual countries or regions.
10. The
Assembly recommends that the European Union support organic farming in the
current discussion process and in regular reviews of the Common Agricultural
Policy and draw up a European action plan for organic farming.
1.
Text adopted by the Standing Committee, acting on behalf of the
Assembly, on 25 November 2003 (see
Doc. 9887,
report of the Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional
Affairs, rapporteur: Mr Nazaré Pereira).
