Coöperatieve Vereniging Bionext UA
Bionext is de ketenorganisatie voor biologische landbouw en voeding: wij verbinden de biologische keten van boer tot consument.
ID: 731872139243-91
Lobbying Activity
Meeting with Anne Sander (Member of the European Parliament) and International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements EU Regional Group and ECOCERT SA
6 Dec 2023 · NGTs
Meeting with Jan Huitema (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)
14 Nov 2023 · New Genomic Techniques
Response to Amendment of the list of products and substances authorised in organic production
9 Aug 2023
In de preambule bij dit voorstel, punt (2), staat een belangrijke opmerking, namelijk dat de EGTOP adviseert om alle low-risk stoffen die zijn toegelaten conform verordening (EC) No 1107/2009 van plantaardige of dierlijke oorsprong en die geen GMO herkomst hebben, gebruikt zouden kunnen worden in de biologische landbouw zonder aanvullende evaluatie door de EGTOP. Bionext snapt de opmerking, gezien de grote werklast van de EGTOP zonder afdoende vergoeding voor de inspanningen. En ze heeft niets af te dingen op de analyse van EGTOP dat de huidige laagrisicostoffen na beoordeling ook in de biologische landbouw zijn toegelaten. Maar dat dit voldoende reden is om het beoordelingsmodel voor de toekomst aan te passen, bestrijdt ze. Er wordt immers een belangrijk criterium en uitgangspunt voor de biologische sector weggegeven, namelijk de beoordeling of een stof wel echt nodig is. Artikel 5.g van Verordening 2018/848 geeft aan dat de biologische landbouwmethode een systeemlandbouw is waarbij de ondernemers zich beperken tot een strikt noodzakelijke hoeveelheid externe inputs. Datzelfde criterium wordt ook gebruikt bij de huidige beoordeling van EGTOP voor nieuwe stoffen. Bionext is van mening dat voor de goedkeuring van stoffen die gebruikt mogen worden in de biologische sector, dit criterium relevant blijft en toegepast moet worden. Zeker bij gewasbeschermingsmiddelen. Voor de hoge werklast van de EGTOP zijn andere oplossingen te vinden.
Read full responseResponse to Revised marketing standards for fresh fruit and vegetables, bananas, nuts, dried fruit and pulses
19 May 2023
BioNederland is de Nederlandse vereniging voor ondernemers die actief zijn in de handel en verwerking van biologische producten. Wij ondersteunen de Europese ambities die zijn geformuleerd in de Green Deal en de Farm to Fork om te werken aan een klimaatneutraal Europa, waarbij forse uitbreiding van het areaal biologische landbouw één van de instrumenten is. Onze leden werken mee aan het realiseren van die ambities. Die areaalgroei kan alleen worden gerealiseerd, als de markt voor biologische producten ook fors groeit. Dat wordt ook erkend in het Europese Actieplan voor de biologische landbouw, waar ontwikkeling van de markt een van de pijlers van het plan is. BioNederland ziet dat er mogelijkheden voor groei zijn, zowel in het retailkanaal als in de publieke en private out-of-home markt. Om die kansen te realiseren is het essentieel dat het prijsverschil tussen gangbare en biologische producten zo klein mogelijk blijft. Een belangrijke weg om dat te bereiken is door al het geteelde biologische product zo goed mogelijk te verwaarden, via alle mogelijke kanalen: vers, verduurzaamd of versneden. Groentesnijderijen spelen daarbij een belangrijke rol. Gegeven die context zijn we erg bezorgd over uw voorstel voor de herziening van de handelsnormen en de impact daarop op de keten van versgesneden groenten en fruit. Door de wijziging in de definities en vrijstellingen van handelsnormen kunnen groente en fruit, lager dan klasse II of ongesorteerd niet meer aan snijderijen worden aangeleverd. Dit leidt tot voedselverspilling van biologisch product en onnodige extra kosten. We roepen de Europese Commissie dan ook op om dit conceptvoorstel aan te passen, zodat groentesnijderijen zonder extra kosten en andere belemmeringen biologische groenten en fruit kunnen blijven verwerken.
Read full responseResponse to Sustainable use of pesticides – revision of the EU rules
19 Sept 2022
Bionext is the Dutch umbrella organisation for organic food and farming. We welcome the F2F strategy and many of it's ambitions to strive for a greener, climate friendly European agriculture and food production and we think that a sustainable use directive for pesticides in itself is a good step forward. But but the directive shows major flaws that will not help to achieve the F2F ambitions.
In order to improve the SUD we call for:
*develop new indicators to measure pesticide use and risk reduction in a more accurate way than the current harmonised risk indicators (HRI)
*differentiate between chemically synthesised products and naturally-derived substances
* a better definition of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and for the integration of a clear distinction with organic agriculture
* Increasing the available alternatives with a dedicated registration process for natural substances
* adding weighting factors in the list of 5 actives substances that most strongly influence the trend in pesticide reduction
And finally we welcome the prioritisation of organic agriculture in national action plans!
Read full responseMeeting with Annie Schreijer-Pierik (Member of the European Parliament) and Glastuinbouw Nederland and Plantum
22 Jun 2022 · Event on organic horticulture
Response to Organic production - Requirements for keeping records
10 May 2021
As Bionext we would like to ask you to consider the following points:
Despite lengthy negotiations, this legal act introduces a number of documentation requirements and some extensions to the required records for organic producers and organic processors, which may lead to increased bureaucratic burdens for existing operations and new entrants to organic production. A good balance must be found between traceability via records and costs and effort for the operators.
Provide relief and simplification for micro-enterprises
Above all, micro enterprises are affected to a greater extent by extended documentation obligations than larger operations. For this reason, we propose that for micro-enterprises with less than 9 employees according to EU Recommendation 2003/361, detailed documentation can be waived, provided that the farms/enterprises are low-risk, they have no non-organic operating units, there is no risk of mixing or commingling and traceability is secured. This should be added to chapters (1) and (2) of this act.
Avoid duplication of records
There are still duplications in the requirements, not only with horizontal law as stated in the recitals, but also repetitions of documentation requirements within the individual chapters (the same requirements in the general and special rules). Indefinite general requirements such as "records of any other external input" or "documentary evidence on any derogation", which could duplicate the already existing documentation requirements or lead authorities to unreasonable detailed requirements in the future, should be completely deleted: Point (1) (d) on Annex II Part I, Point (2) (a) on Annex II Part II and Point (3) (a) on Annex II Part III.
Avoid unnecessary detailed records
- No justification of the reason of application: We consider it excessive to have to document justifications for the need for each application, as required by point (1) (a) on Annex II, Part I.
- Indication of type and name of a product: If the name of the product is documented, this is sufficient, then the type can be omitted. This should be deleted in point (1) (a), (b) and (c) to Annex II Part I, in point (2) (d) and (e) to Annex II Part II and in point (3) (b) and (f) to Annex II Part III.
- No listing of active substances in plant protection products or cleaning or cleaning and disinfecting products: In point (1) (b) to Annex II Part I (plant protection products) as well as in point (1) (c) to Annex II Part I, point (2) (d) to Annex II Part II, point (4) (c) to Annex II Part IV, point (5) (b) to Annex II Part V, point (6) to Annex II Part VI and point (7) to Annex II Part VII (cleaning and disinfection) "its active substances" must be deleted in each case. In mixed products, such a list of active substances can become long and in the case of cleaning and disinfection products it is not even clear what an active substance is.
- To decrease the burden of the farmer to look if all the commercial products apply to the organic regulation, in many countries, also in the Netherlands, there exists an organic input list. Pesticide producers that want to claim that their products can be used in organic farming have to have their products checked. This is a much better way of guaranteeing that the right products are used.
- Veterinary treatments: The posology should be deleted in point (2) (e) on Annex II Part II (terrestrial animals) and point (3) (f) on Annex II Part III (fish) respectively.
Transitional rules for cleaning and disinfection records
- Rules on cleaning and disinfection for crop production and for processing and storage sites are still under development. The record-keeping obligations for cleaning and desinfection must be compatible with the future rules. Therefore, we propose that for those uses for which there are no rules yet, the documentation obligations be postponed until the rules have been issued.
Read full responseResponse to Agriculture - List of products and substances authorised in organic production
22 Apr 2021
Bionext is the Dutch umbrella organisation for organic food and farming. We welcome the improvements in this final version of the annexes. In particular we welcome the following:
- The new classification of the substances is a great improvement, especially the grouping of all basic substances in one table in Annex I.
- Quassia is on Annex I. The continuous availability of Quassia amara is of great importance for organic fruit and hop growing.
- The addition of ‘clay minerals’ to ‘stone meals and clays’ in Annex II
- The addition of the following condition for Biochar in Annex II: ‘only from plant materials, when treated after harvest only with products included in Annex I’
On the other side, we still have some concerns on the following points:
Annex I
- It is crucial that ethylene stays available as it is today for producers of organic pineapples. Ethylene is also used for flowering induction of organic pineapple production. There are many ongoing projects for organic pineapples in Africa and Latin America which risk to be stopped. If ethylene would not stay available in the Annexes, then its use will be only allowed in Costa Rica, making it unfair to other producing countries. As an established list for products and substances to be used in Third Countries seems unlikely from the 1 January 2022. Bionext asks to keep the status quo and to avoid adding additional conditions in the organic regulation to the ones of the horizontal regulation for the use of ethylene.
- The pyrethroids (deltamethrin or lambda-cyhalothrin) have no place on the list of substances for use in organic production.
- For copper compounds, the right column specifying ‘specific conditions and limits’ repeats what is already in Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009. This is unnecessary and superfluous since this column is supposed to detail only the additional restrictions to the ones in Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, if any.
Annex II
- The introduction of Annex II is still unclear regarding the possibility to use fertilisers that are nationally authorised (and not CE-marked) and the current wording leaves too much room for interpretation. The introduction must clearly state that fertilisers listed in Annex II can be used (as single products or as a mixture) in organic farming if they are authorised by national legislation or as CE-marked fertiliser products, complying in this case with the EU legislation - Regulations (EC) No 2003/2003 and (EU) 2019/1009.
Therefore, the first bullet point of the introduction should be modified as follow: “the relevant Union and or national legislations on fertilising products, in particular, where applicable, Regulations (EC) No 2003/2003 and (EU) 2019/1009”
- Some of the materials in the list have specifications from horizontal legislation in the right column, which makes is superfluous, especially as the introduction states that this place is intended for stricter rules for organic production.
- The indication that products from animal origin should not be applied to the edible parts of the plant is superfluous. For most of the farmers this is already common practise on the basis of hygiene requirements that are part of the conditions under which they are able to deliver to retailers.
Cleaning and Disinfection Products
In Article 13 of the draft Implementing Regulation it is stipulated that Article 5(1), (2) and (3) and Article 7 shall apply from 1 January 2024. The proposed transitional period to establish completely new lists for cleaning and disinfection products in processing and storage facilities and in plant production seems ambitious and not realistic, even more for the processing sector, where there have been no national or EU regulations to date. We ask to consider extending the deadline for a new regulation on cleaning and disinfection in processing and storage facilities until the end of 2025.
Read full responseMeeting with Lukas Visek (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)
28 Oct 2020 · Organic farming in the Netherlands