Despite the considerable potential of the EU Single Market, serving 450 million consumers —many of whom are driven by environmental awareness— organic companies have been slow to capitalize on the opportunities at their doorstep. Three organic companies explain the obstacles their products must overcome to reach consumers in different EU countries.
Presence of pesticides: present in some countries, absent in others
The most telling example of internal dysfunction is the handling of pesticide residues. The organic regulation sets out several obligations triggered by the “presence” of non-authorized substances, yet it does not define what “presence” means. This has led to diverging interpretations of the concept of “presence” between Member States, creating situations that cause costly distortions in the Single Market.
“When I buy a batch of goods from an operator located in a Member State applying a different standard for ‘presence, ‘ I must block the goods in case of positive test lab, but I cannot turn to the supplier because the product is compliant with his own country›s standards, ” said Jan Groen, CEO-Founder of Green Organics Group. “To improve the Single Market, my company’s priority is to achieve consistent standards and responses to the ‘presence’ of non-authorized substances across Member States.”
Customs procedures: right way, wrong way
Importers of organic products face serious problems due to inconsistent interpretation of customs procedures when non-authorized substances are found in organic products. In some Member States, organic products with residue findings—detected just before entry into the EU—are automatically decertified by customs without any investigation. Such practices are well known among EU-based importers, who, in response, seek easier ways to enter the EU market by relocating import facilities to other Member States with a less rigorous approach.
If the EU is truly committed to safeguarding biodiversity and restoring nature, it must take concrete action to ensure that organic products are accessible to consumers in every corner of the Single Market
“When there are contracts to fulfil and deadlines to meet, companies cannot afford any surprises, ” said Karst Kooistra, Sourcing Development Director at Tradin Organic. “Well-trained customs officers and a clear, harmonized EU-wide procedure would greatly simplify our work. In turn, it would positively impact our suppliers in third countries and our customers in the EU.”
Food supplements: required in some countries, forbidden in others
Current EU rules about fortification of organic products result in a patchy internal market, as supplements required in some national markets—for example, vitamin D in dairy products aimed at the Finnish market—are not allowed in others.
“Not only does this disrupt the Single Market, but it also prevents us from reaching organic consumers who need to fill a nutritional gap,” said David Care, Manager of Ecotone and President of ASOBIO, the Spanish association of organic processors. “We need consistent rules to reach consumers across the EU.”
As these companies demonstrate, Europe’s organic future relies on removing the invisible barriers that still fragment the market. The aim is not merely to increase sales of organic products, but to help reshape the EU’s entire food system into a more sustainable one. If the EU is truly committed to safeguarding biodiversity and restoring nature, it must take concrete action to ensure that organic products can circulate freely and be accessible to consumers in every corner of the Single Market. We are greener together.
- Consider becoming a member of OPTA, the Organic Processing and Trade Association.
Author: Aurora Abad, OPTA Secretary General
Published in the BIOFACH 2026 Bio Eco Actual Special Edition.
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Read the BIOFACH 2026 Bio Eco Actual Special Edition
