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Institut de la Recherche Interdisciplinaire de Toulouse Association de la Recherche Interdisciplinaire |
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The European Commission has adopted a 'European Action Plan for Organic Food and Farming' to boost organic farming in the EU
(11 June, 2004)
Setting out 21 specific policy measures to achieve this, the action plans pays special attention to strengthening research, particularly in relation to processing and production methods; harmonising standards and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) .
'The organic food and farming sector is very dynamic, showing rapid growth and constant development which needs to be supported,' states the Action Plan.
One way to encourage the growth of this sector, asserts the plan, is to ensure that there is 'an effective exchange of information on the availability of new technologies.'
In order to achieve this, training and research will be encouraged 'at all levels, from the adoption of research programmes in universities or other research bodies, to on-farm training to ensure suitable technology transfer to farmers.'
'The transfer of research results into agricultural practice with close cooperation between research, advisory services and farmers is already being carried out in some Member States. There is however a need for improved cooperation in this area in other Member States and between Member States themselves,' adds the Action Plan.
Processing methods are identified as being particularly important in the plan. Indeed, while organic food products have traditionally been sold with little processing, consumers increasingly want to buy organic food in processed form. As few additives are permitted in organic products, this raises problems for processors who face considerable expense when separating the organic from the non-organic food chain. The action plan thus calls for more research by the processing industry to develop new processing methods 'to preserve the recognised texture, colour, and preservation qualities of particular products.'
The plan suggests research programmes to be developed under Priority 5 in the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) - 'Food quality and safety', under Thematic Priority 6 - 'Sustainable development, global change and ecosystems', topic 5 'strategies for sustainable land management, including coastal zones, agricultural land and forest', and under the Scientific Support to Policy programme of the FP6. Developing countries are also encouraged to increase their participation in the EU's research programmes.
The Action Plan then sets a proposal for two expert panels. The first one, composed of scientists and other experts, would deliver independent and transparent advice on organic farming principles and consumer expectations, while the other will provide technical advice on GMOs.
Expert advice is needed, states the Action Plan, to 'establish the list of permitted additives and processing aids for processed animal products; to establish specific standards for organic wines; to improve the standards relating to animal welfare; to extend the scope to other areas such as aquaculture and to improve standards relating to the environment (use of energy, biodiversity, landscape and others.'
When it comes to GMOs, technical advice is needed to ensure that national approaches to the co-existence of GMOs with conventional and organic farming are conducted within strict parameters to avoid admixture of crops.
Data Source Provider : European Commission
Document Reference : Based on information from the European Commission
Programme Acronym : FRAMEWORK 6C, FP6-INTEGRATING, FP6-FOOD, FP6-SUSTDEV
Subject Index Codes : Earth Sciences, Biotechnology, Life Sciences, Environmental
Protection, Agriculture, Food, Policies, Coordination, Cooperation,
Scientific Research
Contact Person : To consult the Action Plan, please visit:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/qual/organic/plan/workdoc_en.pdf
For More Information Contact:
E-mail: contact@irit-ari.com
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