UN Division for Sustainable Development

Case Study Detail Record

Organization type:	Intergovernmental Organization

Name of Organization:	European Commission

Name of Focal Point:	Ms. Aurore Maillet, Ms. Gyorgyi Gurban

Initiative Title:	European Action Plan for Organic Food and Farming (EAP)

Internet links:

Scope:

Status:	Ongoing

Timeframe:	Start: June 2004 End:

Lead Institution:	European Commission

Stakeholders/Partners:	public online consultation and hearing, stakeholder group, Member States, other EU institutions (Parliament, Council)

Relevent issues:	- Access to financing, investments or markets - Capacity building - Technology transfer - Research development - Integrating rural development strategies into broader development strategies

Objectives/Challenges:

To set out policy measures to provide the conditions that allow the organic sector to develop and thereby make the most of its market potential; to facilitate imports of organic produce from developing countries

Lessons Learned:

Significant progress has been achieved on most actions; the first phase of regulatory reform has been finalised

Summary:

The EAP provides for an overall strategic vision for the contribution of organic farming to the development of sustainable agriculture and food production. It puts forward a list of 21 concrete policy measures to be implemented, such as improving information about organic farming for consumers and traders, streamlining public support via rural development, improving production standards, strengthening the control system and research.