Detailed production rules for organic sea salt and other organic salts for food and feed

The European Parliament adopted by 468 votes to 151, with 17 abstentions, a resolution objecting to the Commission delegated regulation of 2 May 2023 amending Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards detailed production rules for organic sea salt and other organic salts for food and feed.

To support this objection, Members recalled that Regulation (EU) 2018/848 lays down detailed requirements concerning the production of processed food and feed. Salt used for food and feed and drinking water are excluded from those requirements. In addition, the explanatory memorandum of the Commission delegated regulation recognises that salt is not an agricultural product.

Members consider that for the production of organic labelled rock salt the restrictions in the field of modern mining technologies are stricter than their environmental impact merits, which would make the production of organic table salt from rock salt unattractive and lead to a very limited availability of organic rock salt on the market.

According to Members, the requirements envisaged for the production of organic sea salt could lead, particularly due to the prevalence of micro-plastic in sea waters, to a very limited availability of organic sea salt on the market.

Moreover, the Commission delegated regulation requires contamination-free production concerning products or substances not authorised for use in organic production for all kinds of salt production, which is not required for organic products from farming and which therefore goes clearly beyond, and is not in line with, Regulation (EU) No 2018/848.