The European Parliament adopted by 592 votes to 12, with 21 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the labelling of organic pet food.

As a reminder, the purpose of this proposal is to establish specific labelling rules for pet food. These rules will allow pet food, in particular for cats and dogs, to bear the organic production logo of the European Union. Moreover, the organic production logo of the European Union will be mandatory for prepacked pet food labelled as organic.

Parliament’s position adopted at first reading following the ordinary legislative procedure amended the Commission proposal as follows:

Development of the pet food sector

The amended text acknowledged that the pet food sector has a role to play in contributing to the objectives of the European Green Deal, as well as recognising the new labelling measures provided for in this regulation and the uniform use of the organic production logo of the European Union, should help to develop and promote the pet food sector, both through the sale of products to consumers who are mindful of the organic content of the products they buy and through the opportunity to bring about added value to organic by-products and co-products.

Subject matter

It is stipulated that this regulation constitutes other specific Union law relating to the placing of products on the market for the purposes of Article 2(5) of Regulation (EU) 2018/848 on organic production and labelling of organic products. Given that pet food is feed for a specific category of animals, the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2018/848 which apply to feed should remain applicable to pet food, in particular those on production, certification, control, marketing, and trade with third countries.

Use of terms referring to organic production on pet food labels

Information on compliance with organic production rules should be provided through the terms referring to organic production in the sales description and in the list of ingredients, as well as through the use of the organic production logo of the European Union. In order to facilitate awareness about compliance with organic production rules, the organic production logo of the European Union should be obligatory for all prepacked pet food complying with Regulation (EU) 2018/848 and with this Regulation and produced within the Union, as is the case for prepacked food pursuant to Article 32(1), point (b), of Regulation (EU) 2018/848.

Special labelling provisions should also be laid down to allow final consumers to identify the organic ingredients that are used in products which consist mainly of an ingredient that stems from hunting or fishing , provided that all other agricultural ingredients are organic.

Consumer information

Given the importance of the presence of non-organic agricultural ingredients in pet food, final consumers should be appropriately informed about the composition of pet food containing both organic and non-organic agricultural ingredients, thus enabling consumer confidence and fair competition between operators in the pet food sector.

Transitional measures

Organic petfood labelled in accordance with national rules or, failing that, with private standards accepted or recognised by the Member States between 1 January 2022 and the date of entry into force of this regulation may be placed on the market until stocks are exhausted.

Application

The regulation provides for a deferred date of application (six months after the date of entry of the regulation) of the obligation to use the organic production logo of the European Union on the labelling of prepacked pet food in order to enable operators to prepare fully for the application of the new labelling requirements.

The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development adopted the report by Martin HÄUSLING (Greens/EFA, DE) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the labelling of organic pet food.

As a reminder, the purpose of this proposal is to establish specific labelling rules for pet food. These rules will allow pet food, in particular for cats and dogs, to bear the organic production logo of the European Union. Moreover, the organic production logo of the European Union will be mandatory for prepacked pet food labelled as organic.

The draft rules clarify that pet food can be labelled as organic if at least 95% in terms of weight of its agricultural ingredients are organic. The rules were proposed as a result of a new legislative framework for organic products which do not allow anymore for national rules for the minimum percentage of organic ingredients in organic pet food.

The committee responsible recommended that the European Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the proposal as follows:

Transitional measures

To prevent waste of products and packaging material and ensure a smooth transition, Members suggested that operators should be able to market all products already in stock. This means the large volumes of existing stocks of organic pet food could still be sold to consumers until those stocks are exhausted. The report proposed a transitional period of 6 months after this Regulation’s entry into force to be installed during which the mandatory use of the EU organic logo does not apply.

Special labelling

A new article has been introduced by Members requesting that special labelling provisions should be laid down to enable final consumers to identify organic ingredients used in products which consist mainly of an ingredient that stems from hunting or fishing , as long as all other ingredients are organic and only feed additives and processing aids authorised pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/848 on organic production and labelling of organic products are used.