Research projects

Evaluation of the EU legislation on organic farming

Evaluation of the EU legislation on organic farming

Acronym : EU Reg Eval

Code : Nr. AGRI-2012-EVAL-02

Contract Period : 03/09/2012 - 30/06/2013

Main Funder : EU Commission, DG Agriculture

ORC Staff Contact : Susanne Padel

The aim is to evaluate Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 (Organic products) and implementing rules with respect to achieving its objectives and side effects, considering rules on organic production, control, labelling and trade with Third Countries.

Project Aims:

The evaluation will be carried out by gathering and analysing a range of different data and information including relevant legislation, production standards and literature as well as statistical and administrative data hold by the Commission and in Member States. Besides the EU legislation on organic farming several other regulations and factors influencing the organic sector will be taken into consideration such as: i) general food law and legislation on official food and feed controls, ii) EU support provided under the CAP Pillar 1 and 2, iii) European Action Plan for Organic Food and Farming, iv) national and regional action plans for organic farming, v) other national or regional organic support measures not (co-)financed by the CAP, vi) promotion and information campaigns for organic farming as well as vii) relevant aspects of the EU sustainable product policy.

Beyond gathering and analysing data, the evaluation will clearly provide founded judgements based on analysis and put forward reasoned conclusions and recommendations how the legislative framework of organic production in the EU could be improved with respect to achieving its objectives.

The evaluation will cover all 27 EU Member States. In order to examine in detail the different aspects of implementation of measures laid down by the legislation, it is further proposed to undertake 13 national case studies (see Section 1.6).

The reference period of the evaluation will be January 2009 (entry into force of Council Regulation 834/2007) to June 2012. However, the period since 2000 will also be taken into consideration to cover the situation governed by the previous legislation on organic farming.

ORC's Role:

ORC leads on three Evaluation questions related to the scope, production rules and simplification as well as developing an effect model of the Regulation. ORC will also carry out data collection in the UK and will contribute to the overall reporting of the project to the EU Commission.

Project leader and partners:

  • von Thünen Institute (vTI), Braunschweig, Germany
  • Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FIBL), Frick, Switzerland
  • Institute of European Environmental Protection, London, UK
  • Oreade Breche, France
  • Sub-contractors in ten countries

Project Output:

Sanders, J (2013, Eds) Evaluation of the EU legislation on organic farming. Braunschweig: Thünen Institute of Farm Economics.