The European Commission should support and encourage member states to establish their own national or regional strategies for organic farming. This is according to MEPs on the EU’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. Members of the committee voted in favour of a report on the EU Action Plan for organic agriculture earlier this week. The report underlines that the share of agricultural land under this sector varies significantly among member states.
MEPs have recommended that aid be given to member states to promote this, saying that any legislation on organic agriculture must be flexible. They add that a harmonised European system for the certification of inputs should be established.
Commenting on the vote, IFOAM Organics Europe’s president Jan Plagge says “the EU Action Plan is crucial to increase both the production and demand for organic products, and we welcome the involvement/interest of MEPs.”
“To ensure the success of the OAP in reaching the 25% organic land target and transitioning towards more sustainable food systems, we must not forget the importance of the involvement of actors at all levels, especially EU, national, regional, and local actors”, Plagge adds.
In its Farm to Fork Strategy and Biodiversity Strategy, the commission set a target of “at least 25% of the EU’s agricultural land under organic farming and a significant increase in organic aquaculture by 2030”.
The resolution on an EU Action Plan for organic agriculture will now be voted on by the EU Parliament, possibly during the May session.