EU and Chile sign deal on organic trade
The agreement means that the EU and Chile will mutually recognise the equivalence of their organic production rules and control systems, allowing all organic products produced and controlled according to EU rules to be directly placed on the Chilean market, and vice-versa. The organic logos currently used by the EU and Chile for their products will also be protected as part of the deal.
It also provides for a system of updates of the products covered by the respective organic rules, as well as agreeing on co-operation, exchange of information and a dispute settlement system for organic trade.
The EU-Chile agreement on trade in organic products is the first of a so-called 'new generation' agreements in trade in organic products. Until now the EU has opted for administrative arrangements on organic equivalence recognition or unilateral recognition of the equivalence of third countries' organic production rules and control systems. The Chile deal is also the first bilateral recognition of organic rules with a Latin American country.
This agreement paves the way for other agreements in trade in organic products and should contribute to further growth in the global organic food market, supporting jobs and growth. The EU's organic sector has grown at around 5.5% per year on average over the past 10 years, and nearly 6% of the land available for and used by farming in the EU is dedicated to organic farming. Although the EU is a net importer of food from Chile, it is expected that this agreement will help provide greater opportunities for EU organic food exports to Chile.