Doc. 8816
8 Septembre 2000

Establishment of a European Organic Farming Charter

Motion for a recommendation

presented by Mr Goulet and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.       The Assembly notes that the various scandals involving food safety are leading to very significant growth in the already high demand for organic farm produce (eg, 44% increase in France in 1999).

2.       The Assembly further notes that a new market is developing between the traditional growers of “organic farm produce” and consumers, and that organic farming, which at one time seemed to be a marginal activity or passing fad, has come into its own.

3.       The Assembly is aware that this new market is offering significant opportunities to farmers and firms from the sector that have responded to its emergence.

4.       The Assembly recognises the technical constraints facing farmers in some countries who are switching to organic farming and (in the case of European Union members) have to comply with the provisions of European Council Regulation (EC) No. 1804/1999 amending Regulation No. 2092/91, as well as coping with the economic constraints affecting this type of farming.

5.       The Assembly and the Committee on Agriculture, which have already taken very firm stances on food safety issues, cannot but give their fullest support to:

i.       the introduction of regulations which, although concerning organic farming, include provisions advocated as part of food safety policies;

ii.       the banning of the use of hormones;

iii.       restrictions on animal foodstuffs, including the unresolved question of the banning of meat-and-bone meal, on which the European Union has not yet taken a stance;

iv.       environmental restrictions relating to the prohibition or regulation of the use of pesticides or to nitrate discharges.

6.       The Assembly notes the absolute need for harmonisation of those regulations that do exist in the member states with regard to production methods, labelling and controls, and also that:

i.       many European Union member countries have been exempted from applying the regulation quoted above;

ii.       other countries not in the EU that are members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe are developing produce described as “organic”;

iii.       supervisory and certification bodies, if they actually exist, are already having to cope with the other issues related to food safety and are inadequately staffed;

iv.       particular efforts must be made by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to develop common regulations on organic farm produce, not for the sake of legislating or adding to rules that are already too numerous and often unclear, but to protect consumers and encourage farmers to adopt minimum standards for a type of farming where the quality of produce and the environment are respected;

v.       lastly, such a policy at Council of Europe level will enable the countries seeking to join the European Union to familiarise themselves with its standards.

7.       The Assembly therefore recommends that the Committee of Ministers:

i.       gather information from the member governments about the state of organic farming in their countries and their regulations on the matter, if any;

ii.       draw up an organic farming charter applicable to both animal and crop husbandry;

iii.       select a number of criteria to this end, in particular:

·       production standards (for instance, banning of antibiotics),

·       animal foodstuff quality standards (prohibition of meat-and-bone meal),

·       environmental quality standards (concerning nitrate discharges and water quality);

iv.       organise a meeting with the main professional bodies and farming unions to gather comments;

v.       create a specific quality mark for European organic farming;

vi.       establish a certification authority comprising members appointed by governments and charged with certifying produce and awarding or withdrawing, in accordance with procedures to be determined, the quality mark mentioned at v. above;

vii.       establish a control body comprising officials from the member states specially trained in food safety issues and enjoying appropriate supervisory powers in the individual member states, subject to the terms of a convention to be drafted.

Signed : ¹

Goulet, France, EDG

Akçali, Turkey, EDG

Belohorska, Slovakia, EDG

Besostri, Italy, SOC

Briane, France, EPP/CD

Hancock, United Kingdom, LDR

Ivanov I, Bulgaria, EPP/CD

Monteiro, Portugal, SOC

Prokes, Slovakia, NR

Provera, Italy, LDR

Steolea, Romania, EDG

Toshev, Bulgaria, EPP/CD

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group