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EU Aquaculture Assistance Mechanism

10. What is the difference between conventional aquaculture products and organic products? What is necessary to obtain organic certification?

According to Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 on organic production and labelling of organic products (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32018R0848), organic production is an overall system of farm management and food production that combines best environmental and climate action practices, a high level of biodiversity, the preservation of natural resources and the application of high animal welfare standards and high production standards in line with the demand of a growing number of consumers for products produced using natural substances and processes. This Regulation together with certain relevant secondary acts, provides for detailed production rules for organic aquaculture which include environmental requirements, respect of a period for conversion into organic production, nutrition, animal welfare, health care and husbandry requirements with detailed maximum stocking densities for species and strict limitations on use of external input, among others on veterinarian treatments.

To be able to use the organic EU logo and to mention "organic" on the labels of their products, the organic operators must be certified by a control body approved by the competent authorities who will attest that their activity is carried out in compliance with the EU organic regulation.

More information on the EU organic certification system and its enforcement is available on the following Commission’s webpage:

Organic farming (https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/farming/organic-farming_en). In addition a FAQ document on provisions concerning organic productions, including a chapter on organic aquaculture, is available here: https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-09/organic-rules-faq….