Understanding the new EU Organic Regulation

COLEACP organised an online workshop on 15 June to present the changes and potential impacts of the new European Union (EU) Organic Regulation 2018/848, which will enter into force in January 2022.

The workshop brought together 80 participants, COLEACP partners involved in the production and export of organic fruit and vegetables. They were given a presentation by Michel Reynaud, Board Member of IFOAM Organics Europe and Vice President of Ecocert, who reviewed the main changes of the new regulation that will affect them, as well as the measures they must now take to comply with the new rules.

Label d’Or, Ranch du Koba and Green Stone Foods, three COLEACP partner companies, then spoke about the challenges they face and shared their initiatives to prepare for the implementation of the new rules.

Finally, Xavier Bepmale of Ecocert presented the organisation’s transition plan for compliance as a certification body.

These presentations were followed by a question-and-answer session which provided the audience with a wealth of useful information. The very positive feedback from this session suggests that further workshops will be organised in the future.

As a reminder and support, COLEACP has also prepared an “Update on the new EU Organic Regulation and associated implementing and delegated acts” (May 2021).

This activity is supported by the Fit For Market programme, implemented by COLEACP in the framework of development cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OECP) and the European Union, and co-financed by the French Development Agency (AFD).