INAO's role in Organic Agriculture

Essential work on the regulation and protection of organic agriculture

INAO ensures the uniform application of European Union law. As such, when the application of European law requires clarification, the INAO's National Organic Farming Committee (CNAB) is regularly consulted to provide insight into the regulations or make proposals to the administrations concerned, notably the Direction générale de la Performance économique et environnementale des entreprises (DGPE) and the Direction générale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Répression des fraudes (DGCCRF). European regulations also recognize the possibility of adopting cahiers des charges nationaux when detailed production rules have not yet been established at European level (examples: snails, ostriches...).

INAO manages and assesses, within the appropriate regulatory framework, the issuance of individual derogations provided for by regulations, particularly in the case of exceptional circumstances. However, the management of derogations relating to the use of non-organic seeds and seedlings falls within the remit of the certifying bodies acting on delegation from the Institute.

The INAO approves the certifying bodies (CBs) whose monitoring and proper execution of controls it ensures. In this context, and in compliance with European and French regulations, INAO draws up documents (directives, circulars, guides) designed to provide a framework for the working procedures of certifier bodies (nature, content, frequency of controls, methods of dealing with breaches), in order to guarantee a good level of harmonization of practices between them.

INAO ensures the protection and defense of the AB mark. In particular, it intervenes in cases of counterfeiting of this mark and fraudulent use, and ensures the proper application of the rules of use attached to it.

Finally, the Institute contributes to the international influence of organic farming by participating in targeted international cooperation actions, where appropriate in conjunction with the Agence Bio.

The Comité national de l'agriculture biologique: a forum for consultation

The Comité national de l'agriculture biologique (CNAB) and the national commissions that report to it are consultation structures bringing together players in organic production.

The CNAB is responsible for :

• make proposals to the French authorities concerning changes to the regulations;
• give its opinion on the approval of national specifications for products without detailed rules in the European regulations;
• study and propose any measure likely to encourage improvements in the production and quality of products from organic farming;
• give an opinion on any question relating to the organic method of production and processing of products submitted by the ministers responsible for agriculture or consumer affairs.

The CNAB brings together:

• a chairman;
• representatives from the production, processing and trading sectors;
• a member from each of the other INAO national committees and the Conseil des Agréments et Contrôles (CAC), ensuring consistency with the rules inherent in controls and other SIQO;
• representatives from the administrations: Direction générale de la performance économique et environnementale des entreprises, Direction générale de l'alimentation, Direction générale de la concurrence, consommation et répression des fraudes, Commissariat général au développement durable, Direction générale des affaires maritimes, de la pêche et de l'aquaculture, Agence Bio;
• qualified personalities as well as representatives of consumers and environmental protection associations.

Click here to find out more about the composition of the INAO's bodies.

This wide-ranging composition ensures the legitimacy of the decisions taken. Where necessary, the positions adopted are relayed to the European level and contribute to the evolution of regulations.

The CNAB bases its expertise on the work of 7 national commissions and numerous working groups, all led by the INAO.

Experts throughout the country

To meet the growing challenges of organic farming,INAO has set up a dedicated department to coordinate the work of the various INAO departments involved in organic farming, and to act as the CNAB's executive secretariat.

In this respect, the division relies on a network of specialized agents from the délégations territoriales, responsible for being the local contacts for professionals and providing operators with concrete answers.