Regulation (EU) 2023/2419 on the labelling of organic pet food

Summary:

Regulation (EU) 2023/2419 - adopted by the co-legislators on 18 October 2023 - concerning the labelling of organic pet food.

Further information:

Regulation (EU) 2018/848 on organic production and labelling of organic products became applicable in January 2022. Prior to this date, the requirements for organic pet food were generally set at national level, meaning that pet food could be labelled as organic if not all the ingredients came from organic production. The Act changed the framework, which now stipulated that processed animal feed could only carry an organic label if 100% of its agricultural ingredients and at least 95% of its dry ingredients were organic. The rules were deemed impossible for many producers of pet food to satisfy due to the restricted availability in organic form of certain necessary agricultural ingredients.

This Regulation lays down specific labelling requirement for pet food produced in accordance with the rules concerning organic production of feed provided for in Regulation (EU) 2018/848. It also contains other specific EU law relating to the placing of products on the market.

The draft law was adopted by the European Commission on 28 November 2022, in accordance with the objectives of the European Green Deal, the Farm to Fork (F2F) Strategy and the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, as well the Action Plan for the Development of Organic Production. The plenary of the European Parliament endorsed a negotiating position on 10 May 2023. The Council of the European Union was given a revised mandate for talks by its Special Committee on Agriculture on 5 June. An informal agreement between the co-legislators on a compromise text for this file was reached on 6 June. The final text was endorsed by the Parliament on 12 September, followed by the Council on 9 October. The Act was signed by the co-legislators on 18 October 2023 and published in the Official Journal on 27 October 2023.

• Primary Source

News

PET Food Processing, 13/06/2023: EU establishes new labeling rules for organic pet foods https://www.petfoodprocessing.net/articles/17082-eu-establishes-new-labeling-rules-for-organic-pet-foods

European Supermarket Magazine, 15/09/2023: European Parliament Sets Rules For Organic Pet Food https://www.esmmagazine.com/a-brands/european-parliament-sets-rules-for-organic-pet-food-249354

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Official

EUR-LEX: COM(2022)659: Proposal for a Regulation on the labelling of organic pet food https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2022:659:FIN

European Parliament: Legislative Observatory: Procedure File for Proposal on Labelling of organic pet food (2022/0390(COD)) https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?lang=en&reference=2022/0390(COD)

European Parliament: Legislative Train Schedule: Regulation on organic labelling of pet food https://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-agriculture-and-rural-development-agri/file-organic-labelling-of-pet-food

UK Government: Policy Paper, 09/01/2023: Explanatory Memorandum on EU regulation on labelling of organic pet food https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/em-on-eu-regulation-on-organic-pet-food-1553322-com2022-659

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 06/06/2023: Organic pet food: Council and Parliament agree on new labelling rules https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/06/06/organic-pet-food-council-and-parliament-agree-on-new-labelling-rules/

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 09/10/2023: Organic pet food: Council adopts updated labelling rules https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/10/09/organic-pet-food-council-adopts-updated-labelling-rules/

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