The new European Union (EU) rules for organic agricultural products and production, which are now expected to come into effect on 1 January 2021 (following a November 2017 agreement), will influence the cosmetics sector indirectly.
After three long years of negotiations, the European Commission aims to set EU-wide rules covering the whole EU organic sector, including non-EU farmers exporting their organic products to the EU market.
A new market for organic seeds, which have significant use in beauty products, as well as other plant reproductive material, is expected to open up.
This will mean consumers 'benefit from greater choice', the EU's Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Phil Hogan said on 20 November, when announcing that the agreement on a new EU organic product control, certification and labelling regime had been endorsed by the EU Council of Ministers with the expectation of formal backing by the European Parliament.
The goal of the Commission in proposing a new EU regulation on organic production and labelling of organic products is to