U.S. and EU Partner on Organic Trade

Beginning June 1, 2012, organic products certified in Europe or in the United States may be sold as organic in either region. With the organics sector in the U.S. and EU valued at more than $50 billion combined, and rising every year, this partnership is intended to establish a strong foundation from which to promote organic agriculture.

Formal letters creating the partnership were signed in February in Germany by European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Dacian Ciolos, U.S. Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, and U.S. Trade Representative Chief Agricultural Negotiator and Ambassador Isi Siddiqui.

Previously, growers and companies wanting to trade products on both sides of the Atlantic had to obtain separate certifications to two standards, which meant a double set of fees, inspections, and paperwork. This partnership eliminates significant barriers, especially for small and medium-sized organic producers. All products meeting the terms of the partnership can be traded and labeled as certified organic.

Leading up to the announcement, both parties conducted on-site audits to ensure that their programs’ regulations, quality control measures, certification requirements, and labeling practices were compatible. Although there are small differences between the U.S. and EU organic standards, both parties determined that their programs were equivalent except for the prohibition on the use of antibiotics. The USDA organic regulations prohibit the use of antibiotics except to control invasive bacterial infections (fire blight) in organic apple and pear orchards. The European Union organic regulations allow antibiotics only to treat infected animals. For all products traded under this partnership, certifying agents must verify that antibiotics were not used for any reason. In addition, all products traded under the partnership must be shipped with an organic export certificate.

The U.S. and EU will continue discussions and review of each other’s programs to verify that the terms of the partnership are being met; work on cooperation initiatives to promote organic production and tackle topics such as animal welfare; and share technical information and best practices. Currently, the agreement only covers products exported from and certified in the U.S. or EU. More information is available at www.ams.usda.gov/NOPTradeEuropeanUnion.