EU Organic Imports: What to Expect Next for Products from Third Countries

Organic production has become increasingly important in the European Union and is subject to specific standards. It is a farming and food production system that promotes environmental protection, biodiversity, the conservation of natural resources, high animal welfare standards, and the use of natural substances and processes. Organic farming is a part of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the production and labelling of organic products are governed primarily by Regulation (EU) 2018/848, which has applied since January 2022, together with delegated and implementing regulations adopted on its basis.

European consumers also increasingly rely on imported organic products. ‘Total EU imports of organic agri-food products increased from 2.64 million tonnes in 2024 to 2.98 million tonnes in 2025, representing an increase of 12.8% and the highest volume recorded since data collection began in 2018’ (European Commission, 2026). To protect European organic production, ensure equal treatment and fair competition, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled (in Case C-240/23) that organic products imported from third countries whose organic production rules are recognised as equivalent under Regulation (EU) 2018/848 may not use the EU organic production logo solely based on that equivalence. However, organic products from third countries may still use the organic production logo of their country of origin when marketed in the EU. Furthermore, the recognition of organic products from third countries under the equivalence regime established by Regulation (EU) 2018/848 is due to expire on 31 December 2026. Therefore, the European Commission put forward a legislative proposal (2018/848) on 16 December 2025.

Key points of the proposal:

Labelling and certification requirements for products imported from non-EU countries

The proposal provides that the use of the EU organic logo should be allowed on imported products from third countries recognised as equivalent, provided that, in addition to those equivalent rules, those products also meet certain additional EU production and control requirements. This aims to resolve that problem while making the difference between EU-compliant and equivalent products clear to consumers.

Third-country equivalence

The proposal would extend the transitional recognition of certain third countries from 31 December 2026 to 31 December 2036. The reason is that negotiations on organic-trade agreements with those countries are still ongoing; without an extension, organic trade could be disrupted.

Cleaning/disinfection products

The proposal would allow organic operators to use appropriate cleaning and disinfection products already available on the market without waiting for EU‑level approval and listing. This would reduce administrative burden and ensuring smoother operations.

Exemption from certification requirements for small retail operators

The proposal would broaden the exemption from organic certification requirements available to small retail operators selling unpackaged organic products directly to final consumers. The proposal would remove the turnover- and certification-cost-based thresholds and increase the annual sales-volume threshold from 5,000 kg to 10,000 kg. This would allow a larger number of small retail operators to benefit from the exemption and reduce the associated administrative burden.

Livestock production

The proposal makes several targeted changes, including specific rules for quails raised for meat, changes concerning outdoor access for poultry (open-air access) and poultry-house size (1 600 m² limit to each individual poultry house), and adjustments to the rules on withdrawal periods following veterinary treatment. In particular, the veterinary-treatment amendment aligns terrestrial livestock more closely with aquaculture rules where the normal withdrawal period for a medicine is zero days.

Looking ahead to Trilogue

In May 2026, the Council agreed its negotiating mandate for the revision of the EU framework on organic production and labelling. In July 2026, the European Parliament’s AGRI Committee adopted its position, which must now be confirmed in plenary. The real challenge is time pressure, the recognition of organic products from third countries under current regulation will expire with the end of 2026. With the end-of-year deadline approaching, the treatment and labelling of imported organic products is likely to be one of the key issues to watch as negotiations between the EU institutions progress.