Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007Show full title

Article 4 U.K. Overall principles

Organic production shall be based on the following principles:

(a)

the appropriate design and management of biological processes based on ecological systems using natural resources which are internal to the system by methods that:

(i)

use living organisms and mechanical production methods;

(ii)

practice land-related crop cultivation and livestock production or practice aquaculture which complies with the principle of sustainable exploitation of fisheries;

(iii)

exclude the use of GMOs and products produced from or by GMOs with the exception of veterinary medicinal products;

(iv)

are based on risk assessment, and the use of precautionary and preventive measures, when appropriate;

(b)

the restriction of the use of external inputs. Where external inputs are required or the appropriate management practices and methods referred to in paragraph (a) do not exist, these shall be limited to:

(i)

inputs from organic production;

(ii)

natural or naturally-derived substances;

(iii)

low solubility mineral fertilisers;

(c)

the strict limitation of the use of chemically synthesised inputs to exceptional cases these being:

(i)

where the appropriate management practices do not exist; and

(ii)

the external inputs referred to in paragraph (b) are not available on the market; or

(iii)

where the use of external inputs referred to in paragraph (b) contributes to unacceptable environmental impacts;

(d)

the adaptation, where necessary, and within the framework of this Regulation, of the rules of organic production taking account of sanitary status, regional differences in climate and local conditions, stages of development and specific husbandry practices.