Report on the findings of a consultancy "training and technical support on the new EU organic regulation 2018/848 and its key implications for the organic sector in Ecuador”.
The new EU Organic Regulation 2018/848 aims at improving the organic rules to correspond better to the high expectations of consumers and guaranteeing sufficient clarity for those to whom they are addressed. Organic trade between Ecuador and the EU will be highly affected by the new rules as the principle of equivalence for imports will be replaced by a compliance system.
Ecuador is EU’s N°1 supplier of organic products. The well-established organic supply chains of organic products to the EU need to change profoundly to meet the new EU requirements. Some changes will affect all actors of the export supply chains, but the most severe impacts are expected for the more than 8800 small and medium size farms who are organized in producer groups.
The report summarizes key new requirements and their implications for organic production in Ecuador with a focus on smallholder producer groups and highlights key challenges and opportunities to support the adaptation to the new requirements.