Development of organic farming
Recommendation 1636
(2003)
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- 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).
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:
9.1 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-à-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;
9.2 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.
