A recent trade deal on organic products between the EU and Chile has sparked a discussion regarding the carbon footprint of the organic product's transportation.
The European Union and Chile last month (7 April) concluded negotiations on a trade agreement in organic products. The deal provides that Santiago and Brussels will mutually recognise the equivalence of their organic production rules and control system and “ensure a high level of respect for the principle for organic production”.
All EU organic products are included while the organic logos are protected in return.
“It will allow for products produced and controlled according to EU rules to be directly placed on the Chilean market and vice versa,” the executive said in a statement.
Several MEPs , including Socialist MEP (S&D) and Vice-President of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Daciana Sârbu noted that although they were not against free trade, the objection to this agreement is linked to the fact that organic products are supposed to limit the carbon footprint and be sustainable from the point of view of resources.
For instance, if organic products are imported to the EU by plane or by ship, the footprint is obviously high compared to local production for local consumption.
