Vol. 489 No. 5
88 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the US Department of Agriculture intends to significantly widen the standards used to classify foods as organic; the implications, if any, this has for the sale and labelling of organic foods in Ireland and the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8467/98]
The United States of America's Department of Agriculture is drafting national legislation for organic farming. I understand this legislation will standardise organic farming practices in the USA, as currently individual states are operating their own standards.
EC Regulation 2092/91, as amended, which relates to organic production of agricultural crop products, lays down rules for imports into the European Union from third countries. In accordance with Article 11 of this regulation, crop products which are imported from a third country may be marketed only as organic products, where they are obtained under rules equivalent to those laid down by the EC regulation. The United States has not yet been approved under the rules and, therefore, crop products may not be imported into the European Union from that country for sale under the organic label The European Commission is examining documentation received from the United States in relation to its proposed national legislation for organic farming.
There will be ongoing contacts between the European Commission and the United States on this matter and member states will be kept informed of developments.
