Public consultation on Organic Farming Regulation

The European Commission has opened the public consultation on the implementation regulation on Regulation (EU) 2018/848 on organic production and labelling of organic products. The public consultation is open until 23 April 2021:

The European Compost Network (ECN) welcomes the initiative of the European Commission to update the list of authorized fertilisers and soil improvers, including digestate and compost for the production in organic farming.

In Article 2 ‘Fertilisers, soil conditioners and nutrients’ it is expressed that ‘only the products and substances listed in Annex II of this Regulation may be used in organic production as fertilisers, soil conditioners and nutrients for plant nutrition, litter improvement and enrichment, ..., provided that they are compliant with,    , the relevant applicable Articles of Regulation (EU) 2019/1009, ..., Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009, ..., and Commission Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 and, where applicable, in accordance with national provisions based on Union Law.’

With regard to the above quoted Article 2 we fear that besides national rules the restrictions and specifications set in the horizontal legislations on fertilising products (Regulation (EU) 2019/1009) and on animal by-products (Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009, COM (EU) No 142/2011) for compost and digestate from bio-waste must be met. If this is the case, that would hinder the use of compost and digestate from bio-waste under organic farming practices, as it is common practise today under national rules in several European countries.

ECN will respond on this public consultation and we are in contact with the European Commission to discuss this initiative further. Please take part in the public consultation here.