Last week, the Council of the European Union has adopted a resolution concerning

the agreement on trade in organic products between the European Union and the Republic of Chile. The agreement aims at the EU’s and Chile’s mutual recognition of their respective rules and control systems being equivalent with regard to organic production in order to import and export products without further controls. Additionally, the consent between the two trade areas will establish a basis for informational exchanges, co-operations as well as dispute settlement within organic trade.

By encouraging organic trade with Chile, the EU seeks to enhance the development of the EU’s organic sector but wants to protect organic logos at the same time. The agreement will apply to EU organic products such as: live animals or unprocessed animal products (including honey), aquaculture products and seaweeds, unprocessed plant products, processed agricultural products for use as feed, processed agricultural products for use as food (including wine), seeds for cultivation and vegetative propagating material. Reversely, the EU will approve of products from Chile like: processed agricultural products for use as food (including wine), seeds for cultivation, unprocessed plant products, honey and vegetative propagating material.

The EU-Chile agreement is the first “new generation” agreement as regards trade in organic products. Further, it is the EU’s first bilateral recognition with a country in Latin America.