Preliminary comments on Title II of the EC Proposal for a new Council regulation on organic production

In response to the conclusions of the European Action Plan for organic food and farming the European Commission has adopted a proposal for a new Council regulation on organic production and labelling of organic products. Although the aim of the new regulation is to improve clarity for both consumers and farmers, stakeholders have raised questions and expressed concerns on various issues of the proposed regulation (for example at the stakeholder conference held on March 27, 2006 by the European Parliament). In order to ensure the most relevant focus for research in Organic Revision, the project has nominated three contested areas that need to be further analysed. Following this refocusing the project (Alrøe and Padel) has provided preliminary comments concerning objectives and principles (Title II) of the EC Proposal for a new regulation. The conclusions are in short: * The term objectives and principles should be defined in article 2. * It should be considered to extend Title II to cover the whole food chain including trade. * Objectives (Art. 3) should be broader. It should include point 5 and 17 in the explanatory memorandum, Article 5b, as well as social objectives. * Principles (Art. 4) should include a systems approach as first priority and not only focus on inputs. * Organic actors and other stakeholders should be involved in formulating objectives and principles. * Further comments must depend on changes in objectives etc