Bolzano: The Council and the European Parliament reached a political agreement on 20 October 2026 that will let certain imported products carry the EU organic logo, according to the European Commission. The deal amends Regulation (EU) 2018/848, the bloc’s main organic farming rulebook, and still needs formal approval from both institutions.
Under the agreement, imports from non-EU countries whose organic rules are recognised as equivalent may display the EU organic logo if they meet additional requirements. Until now, such products were generally kept separate from EU-certified goods when it came to labelling. The change gives importers and retailers a way to present equivalent products under the same visible mark that shoppers already know.
The deal also extends the recognition of equivalence for 11 third countries until 31 December 2036. The earlier deadline was the end of 2026, which created uncertainty for exporters and European buyers who depend on those supply chains. A ten-year extension offers longer planning horizons for trade in organic coffee, tea, fruit and other goods that the EU does not grow in sufficient quantity.
Other changes simplify the process. Certification will become lighter for small retailers and for groups of operators, and certain rules for livestock and crops have been adjusted. The amendments follow a ruling of the Court of Justice in case C-240/23 and aim to bring the regulation into line with that judgment.
The Commission’s earlier proposal, published in December 2025, estimated administrative savings of €47.8 million a year and one-off savings of €109.2 million. Those figures relate to the proposal rather than to the final agreed text, so the actual savings may differ once the details are confirmed. Organic farming covers about 11 percent of EU agricultural land, and retail sales of organic products exceed €45 billion.
The extension of the EU organic logo to equivalent imports will draw both support and criticism. Importers and retailers say that it reduces duplication and makes trade easier. Some European organic farmers worry that foreign products could be placed on the same footing without the same inspection regime, so the extra requirements attached to the logo will be closely watched.
Consumer trust is the central issue. The EU organic logo is one of the best-known quality marks in food retail, and its value depends on shoppers believing that every product carrying it meets a rigorous standard. The additional conditions for imports are therefore the key to whether the compromise strengthens or weakens that trust.
The next steps are procedural. Parliament and the Council must each vote to confirm the agreement, after which the amended rules can be published and enter into force. Producers, importers and certifiers will then need time to adapt their systems. Once the process ends, the EU organic logo will appear on a wider range of products on European shelves.
