Organic greenhouses: development of the regulatory framework within Europe
2011
Blom, M.
Organic farming is a grassroots system where producers have developed different practices depending on climate, geographic area and available resources. In the 1970s and 80s, private and national standards for organic production were created. In 1991, the European Council issued the first European regulation for plant production. This regulation, and the second one that replaced it in 2009, contained no rules for greenhouses, apart from a ban on hydroponic production. This means that considerable differences in practices among the various EU member states still exist. The most important differences exist for energy use and the use of substrates. As the market for the major organic greenhouse crops like tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers is very international, this lack of level playing field is felt by many producers as unfair competition. The worldwide trade also confronts producers with differences in allowed practices between the EU and countries like Canada and the US. The organic organizations in European member states and national representatives have asked the European Commission to set rules for organic greenhouses. It is foreseen that the European Commission will put the topic on the agenda in 2011. The challenge will be to set rules that create more harmonization and at the same time respect the differences that exist for good reasons. The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) EU Group, the organization representing the European IFOAM members, is working on a position paper.
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