The European Commission unveiled, on 8 February, the design that will soon be used on all organic products in Europe. The logo, made up of the 12 EU stars in the shape of a leaf against a green rather than a blue background, will be used on packaged products from 1 July. It still has to be voted on by member state experts.

The design was chosen through a competition among art and design students from throughout the EU. Some 3,500 designs were submitted. A jury of internationally renowned figures chose the best three logos. The final choice was left to the public, invited to vote online during a two-month period. Around 130,000 people voted, notes the Commission, with 63% choosing the Euro-leaf.

Once it has received final approval, the logo will be mandatory on organic products. It may nevertheless be used alongside other private, regional or national logos, explains the EU executive.

Council Regulation 834/2007 of 28 June 2007 on organic production and labelling of organic products establishes a legal framework for all levels of production, control and labelling of organic products that can be offered or traded in the Union. It applies to the following agricultural products: living or unprocessed products, processed foods, animal feed, seeds and propagating material, as well as a selection of wild plants and seaweed. It does not cover products from hunting and fishing of wild animals.

Commission Regulation 889/2008 of 5 September 2008 details rules on production, labelling and control. It sets out the products authorised in organic agricultural production (fertilisers, pesticides, soil ameliorants); minimum requirements for the size of housing and exercise areas for organic animals, including pastures for livestock; non-organic animal feed, feed additives and processing aids for compound feed and premixtures permitted in organic farming; and non-organic ingredients, additives and processing aids permitted in organic food production.

Regulation 1235/2008 of 8 December 2008 governs the import of organic products from their countries.

Further information is available at ec.europa.eu/agriculture/organic/eu-policy/legislation_en