The European Commission has reached an agreement with the Chilean government for the free trade of products processed or cultivated under organic standards. The signing of this agreement confirms the good development of the negotiations that started in 2014, when the European Council authorised the Community Executive to begin talks with representatives of the Latin American country.
The agreement entails an acknowledgement of "the equivalence of all organic products of the European Union in Chile" and vice versa. This includes processed and unprocessed fruits and vegetables, processed or unprocessed animal products (honey), plant products, animal feed and seeds for cultivation.
With the aim of endorsing the agreement signed on 6 March 2017 by the European Council, the parliamentary committee headed by Socialist MEP Clara Aguilera has voted in favour of the agreement. Only 3 of the 33 members of the commission have voted against it.
The parliamentary committee has informed the Commission of its willingness to have the agreement enter into force, although it has suggested two amendments to the original text. Firstly, the committee suggests that the agreement be implemented in line with the new rules on organic production and labelling once these are established.
MEPs also urge the Commission to present an impact study on the implementation of the agreement two years after its entry into force. The objective of this report will be to check the level of trade between Chile and the EU, the quantity of products obtained from organic production and the degree of compliance with the principles of non-discrimination and reciprocity contemplated in the agreement.
Source: lavozdealmeria.es
