Today, the negotiators of the Council and the European Parliament reached an agreement to update the rules for organic production, thereby accommodating the needs of a growing sector.

Following the decisive meeting, Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan said: “We welcome the successful conclusion to today’s trilogue and the agreement reached on the Organics Regulation and believes that the new legislative framework will match the dynamism and expectations of this fast-growing sector, support its development and its capacity to innovate and help it to reach its full potential.

After more than three years of negotiation, the agreement will remove obstacles to the sustainable development of organic production in the EU, thus guaranteeing fair competition for farmers and operators, while also improving controls and consumer confidence.

Following the trilogue, the Commission looks forward to the agreement reached today being endorsed by the European Parliament’s Agriculture & Rural Development Committee and the Council of Agriculture Ministers, thus allowing the new legislation to come into effect as soon as possible.”

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Organic farming in the EU

A European ceremony in honour of former Chancellor of Germany Dr. Helmut Kohl, honorary citizen of Europe, will take place in the Plenary Chamber of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Saturday 1 July 11.00 – 13.00. At the start of the ceremony, the coffin holding the remains of Dr. Kohl will be carried to the Chamber from the room where he has been lying in state draped by the European flag. The coffin will be carried by eight members of the German Wachbataillon and accompanied by Eurocorps.

The ceremony will start with speeches by the three presidents of the EU institutions – Antonio Tajani for the European Parliament, Jean-Claude Juncker for the European Commission and Donald Tusk for the European Council, followed by a video, “Helmut Kohl, a great European”.

Then, at the request of Dr. Kohl’s widow and in their personal capacity, personal farewell messages will be given by the former President of the United States Bill Clinton, former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe González and Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev.

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will deliver the closing speeches at the ceremony.

The Strasbourg University Orchestra will play works by Händel, Beethoven and Schubert. At the end of the ceremony the orchestra will play the German national anthem and the European anthem, accompanied by the Strasbourg Philharmonic Choir.

From the European Parliament, the coffin will be taken to Germany, where the former Chancellor will be buried after a requiem mass in the cathedral in Speyer.

The entire ceremony in Strasbourg, including the arrival of heads of government and state and other invited guests, will be webcast and broadcast live on EbS+ and the Eurovision network from around 9.30 – 13.30.

For information about accreditation, please refer to the document.

Press contacts:

For the European Parliament

Jaume DUCH GUILLOT (+32 2 28 43000; +32 496 59 94 76)

For the European Council

Preben AAMANN (+32 2 281 20 60; +32 476 85 05 43)

For the European Commission

Margaritis SCHINAS (+ 32 2 296 05 24; +32 496 58 38 26)

Mina ANDREEVA (+32 2 299 13 82; +32 498 99 13 82)