During the EP plenary session (16- 19 April 2018) in Strasbourg, MEPs discuss and vote on new rules on production, controls and labelling of organic food in the EU. The new rules aim at making it easier for small farmers to convert to organic productions and increase overall output in the EU, while ensuring that organic imports comply with highest EU standards. Statements by Martin HÄUSLING (Greens/EFA, DE) and Eric ANDRIEU (S&D, FR).

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

vote

ANDRIEU, Eric (S&D, FR)

food labelling (T)

organic farming (T)

HÄUSLING, Martin (Greens/EFA, DE)

Organic production and labelling of organic products: extracts from the debate (18/04), extracts from the vote and illustrative pictures

SOUNDBITE (German), Martin H&#196;USLING (Greens/EFA, DE), Rapporteur, Improvements to the import controls, one standard instead 46 different standards and I think that will also help bolster the consumers confident in this, but also we made sure that there is the possibility for imports so that we are not ceiling off the market.

SOUNDBITE (German), Martin H&#196;USLING (Greens/EFA, DE), And we continue along the line to have an improvement when it comes to seeds, so that in the future in all EU member states there will be able to have seeds but also feed that is organic and for this we need to have data basis in all Member states and not only in some, that is the objective., to make at the end of the day all are playing with the same standards.

SOUNDBITE (French), Eric ANDRIEU (S&amp;D, FR), It is goanna make a good progress against fraud, to which to current account of consumption from outside is making up a volume of 30 % and the consumer producer will lastly be on an equal footing with those outside the EU, this will allow organic producers to produce and produce their own seeds.

Vote on the H&Auml;USLING report, Result: 466 votes in favour to 124 against, with 50 abstentions.

Illustration: Paprika organic production, packaging of organic paprika, organic shop with different products of vegetables and fruits (8 shots)