The new EU Regulation 2018/848 came into force on 1 January 2022. One year later, the organic sector still struggles with the new rules about how to manage the presence of unauthorised substances in organic products. The new rules seem to generate expectations that cannot be met.
Control bodies are obliged to investigate and identify the source and cause of the substance that is prohibited for use. This generates economic problems in the market. Although experienced and skilled, control bodies cannot successfully close each investigation with a pin-pointed source and cause.
The Anti Fraud Initiative (AFI) organised a Conference on 9 February in Brussels to discuss this issue. The aim of the conference was to compare the intention of the new rules and consumers’ expectations. A panel discussion helped to understand how to implement the legal requirements.
Various speakers shared their experiences on sampling, testing and investigating to highlight what works and what does not. Particular attention was given to the presence of prohibited substances that cannot be avoided in organic production.
A second panel discussion looked back on the experiences and expectations and tried to identify the way forward: how to handle pesticide residues in organic production.
Read more on www.organic-integrity.org
