EU Eco regulation

The European Union regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91 of the European Council of 24 June 1991 on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs (EU-Eco-regulation) defines how agricultural products and foods that are designated as ecological products have to be grown. The regulation is derived from the guidelines of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), which is an association of about 800 member organizations in 119 countries.

In 1999 it was supplemented by regulation (EC) No. 1804/1999, which regulates the raising, labelling and inspection of the most relevant animal species (i.e. cattle, sheep, goats, horses and poultry). This agreement covers such issues as foodstuffs, disease prevention and veterinary treatments, animal welfare, husbandry practices and the management of manure. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and products derived from GMOs are explicitly excluded from organic production methods.

The regulation No. 834/2007 is replacing the earlier 2092/91 regulation. The regulation No. 889/2008 would supplement the breeding of animal species and the regulation No. 1235/2008 also regulates the import of ecologically grown agricultural products from third countries.

In July 2010, a new organic certification label was chosen to replace the earlier national labels for usage of organic food that meet the criteria of the EU Eco regulation. The regulation also states that the term biological or ecological may be used on products in the EU if the product consists of at least 95% ingredients from EU regulated organic food.