FoodChain ID provides third-party, global certification for organic standards, including the USDA National Organic Program, EU Organic and other worldwide organic certifications through Bioagricert, a FoodChain ID company.
Since 1 July 2010, the EU organic logo has been compulsory for all pre-packaged organic foodstuffs produced in the European Union. It is also possible to use the logo on a voluntary basis for non-prepackaged organic products produced in the European Union and for any organic products imported from third countries.
A pre-packaged foodstuff is defined as the sales unit intended to be presented as is to the final consumer and to mass caterers, consisting of a foodstuff and the packaging in which it has been packaged before being presented for sale, whether this packaging covers it entirely or partially, but in such a way that the contents cannot be altered without opening or altering the packaging.
Prohibited use
The EU logo may not be used on products:
- In conversion,
- containing less than 95% organic ingredients (the reference to the inspection body remains compulsory. The list of ingredients must indicate which ingredients are organic. The origin of the ingredients is optional).
- whose main ingredient is a product of fishing or hunting, even if all the agricultural ingredients are organic,
- which are not covered by regulation 2018/484, such as fish or game products themselves, cosmetics, cleaning products, textiles, certain food supplements, etc.
The logo
It can be downloaded here https://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/organic/eu-policy/logo_fr
Reference colour
The logo of the European Union must comply with the model in Annex V to Regulation 2018/484.
The reference colour of the logo is Pantone green No 376 and green [50% cyan + 100% yellow], if four-colour printing is used.
Below are some special cases:
The logo can be used in black and white but only when it is not possible to apply it in colour.
- If the background colour of the packaging or label is dark, the symbols can be reproduced in negative, using the background colour of the packaging or label.
- In certain special cases, when the information on the packaging appears in a single colour, the logo can be reproduced in the same colour.
- When the logo is associated with national or private logos that use a green colour different from the reference colour, the logo may be reproduced in the same green colour.
Minimal size
- The logo must be at least 9 mm high and 13.5 mm wide;
- the ratio between height and width must always be 1:1.5.
- In the case of very small packaging, the minimum size may be reduced to 6 mm.
Advertising
The logo may be used to present and advertise products that comply with the regulation. In the case of processed foods, use is limited to the > 95% category.
Association with other labels such as Biogarantie®.
The logo of the European Union may be combined with graphic or textual elements referring to organic farming, as long as they do not modify or change the nature of the logo or any of the compulsory indications (code of the inspection body and place of origin).
Indication of origin
When the EU logo is used, an indication of origin must appear on the packaging in the same visual field as the logo (directly under the reference to the inspection body). Origin means the place where the raw materials were produced. This indication takes one of the following forms:
- EU agriculture: when at least 95% by weight of the agricultural raw materials have been produced in the European Union
- Non-EU agriculture: when at least 95% by weight of the agricultural raw materials have been produced outside the European Union
- EU/non-EU agriculture: when part (>5%) of the agricultural raw materials have been produced in the European Union and another part (>5%) in a third country.
The ‘EU’ or ‘non-EU’ indication may be replaced or supplemented by the name of a country only if 95% of the agricultural raw materials making up the product have been produced in that country, which would give ‘Agriculture Belgique’ for example.
If the list of ingredients is in 3 languages, the origin of the ingredients must appear in 3 languages.
The code of the certification body
This is the code of the inspection body responsible for the operator who carried out the last production or preparation operation.
Example: Foodchain ID Certification: code BE-BIO-03
Location of this information on the packaging
The logo, the code number of the inspection body and the indication of origin shall be marked in a conspicuous place in a clearly legible and indelible manner.
The code number appears in the same visual field as the EU logo when the latter is used on the labelling.
The indication of origin appears directly below the code number. This indication of origin must not appear in a colour, format or style of lettering that is more prominent than the product’s sales description.
If you have any doubts, don’t hesitate to consult our organic certification services.
