Decree of 9-9-2020 approving the Regulation relating to organic production.

The present Decree approves the Regulation relating to organic production. The Object of the Regulation is to: a) Develop the principles of organic production considered in Law 18/2018. b) Establish the rules applicable to production and the use of indications referring to ecological production, labeling and advertising.
The Regulation is organized around 4 Chapters and 11 Annexes. After establishing the purpose of the Regulation, Chapter 1 defines its scope of application. Accordingly, the Regulation applies to the agricultural, aquaculture and beekeeping products listed in Annex I and to derived products, to the extent that they are produced, processed, distributed, marketed, imported or exported as an organic product. It equally applies to operators who carry out activities at any stage of the production, preparation and distribution of the products referred to above.
Chapter 1 of the Regulation establishes the general principle according to which organic production is a sustainable agricultural management system. It further establishes a series of principles applicable to agricultural production and ecological aquaculture such as, for example, the maintenance and improvement of the natural fertility of the soil and its biodiversity; the erosion control; the minimization of the use of non-renewable resources; the recycling of waste and by-products of plant and animal origin; the maintenance of a good phytosanitary status through preventive measures such as the selection of suitable heterogeneous species, varieties or materials that are resistant to pests and diseases; the rotation of appropriate crops; the choice of breeds according to the animals' ability to adapt to local conditions, vitality and resistance to diseases or veterinary problems; the maintenance of a high level of animal welfare respecting the specific needs of each species; the feeding of animals with organic animal feed made with agricultural ingredients from organic production and natural non-agricultural substances; the exclusion of recourse to genetic engineering and animal cloning; the maintenance of the good health status of the aquatic environment and the quality of the aquatic ecosystems and surrounding lands; the appropriate design and management of biological processes based on and using ecological systems and natural resources; the restriction of the use of external means; the choice of plant varieties taking into account the particularities of specific organic production systems; the use of ecological materials; the obtainment of organic varieties through natural reproductive capacity; livestock production adapted to the site and linked to the soil; the application of livestock practices that improve the immune system and strengthen natural defenses against disease.
This Chapter finally sets a series of principles applicable to food processing and organic animal feed (ecological production, limitation of the use of food additives; exclusion of substances and methods that are misleading about the true nature of the product; transformation of food or animal feed, preferably through biological, physical and mechanical methods). This Chapter also provides for the
Chapter 2 sets up organic production rules, including production conversion rules, prohibition of use of GMO and particular rules for plant, livestock, aquaculture productions or for the production of food or processed animal feed, wine and yeast used in human or animal food.
Chapter 3 dispose about labeling and logo requirements of organic production.
Chapter 4 is about the control systems. It covers the release of ecological certification, the organization of groups of operators and controls themselves: the ministry responsible for agriculture is the competent authority for the organization and supervision of the control program. This Chapter also provides that offences relating to the non-compliance with the provisions of this Regulation are sanctioned in accordance with Law 18/2018.