Chile and the EU sign agreement on organic products
The first EU bilateral recognition with a Latin American country has come to an end. Both sides committed to recognize the equivalence of their organic production, according to Fresh Plaza. According to Hogan, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, the agreement will “contribute to create jobs and growth for both partners guaranteeing consumers that the organic products will have a solid control system."
The EU organic product market represents 40 percent of the world market for these kind of products, only behind the United States. In 2015, Chile exported more than $43 million dollars of organic products to the EU, led by blueberry exports, which amounted to nearly $10 million dollars, followed by kiwis and apples.
The agreement was signed by the National Director of the Office of Agricultural Studies and Policies (PASO), Claudia Carbonell, and by the head of the Directorate General for Agriculture of the European Union, Maria Angeles Benitez, within the framework of Minister Furche's participation at the Ministerial Meeting of the Agriculture Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris. The Minister of Agriculture, Carlos Furche, highlighted the recognition of equivalence in the trade of organic products with the European Union. Also earlier this year, it was reported that the EU and the Government of Columbia began the first round of talks to achieve a bilateral agreement on trade in organic products.
The agreement with Chile will allow organic farmers from both countries to reach a broader market, while reducing the administrative burden on producers and enterprises. Ultimately, European and Chilean consumers will have more environmentally friendly products available.
