The European Union's new organic production logo, featuring a leaf made of EU stars on a green background, was published at the end of March in the Official Journal of the European Union. Christopher Stopes, the IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) EU group president, said that the new logo provided the EU with an opportunity for further development of the organic market in the EU by using the logo to promote organic products among EU consumers.
However, Mr Stopes warned that investment and promotional support would be necessary to ensure that the new logo proved to be a success. 'The new logo will require a wide promotional campaign,' he stated. 'The sector will have to invest to integrate the logo on packaging and in communication over the coming years. It seems fair that the Commission and national governments devote sufficient resources to promote the new EU organic logo to consumers.'
The logo was selected by means of a pan-European competition between art and design students, with over 3,400 people entering from all 27 EU Member States. A shortlist of three designs was announced back in December, with the winning 'Euro-leaf' design, created by German student Dusan Milenkovic, gaining 63 per cent of the approximately 130,000 online votes cast. The design, with its illustration of a leaf formed by the stars of the EU flag, was shortlisted for what the judges felt was its simplicity and its evocation of two clear messages: nature and Europe.
The winner and the winners of the second and third prize will be honoured by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development at an official award ceremony in Brussels in July. The three winners will receive prizes of €6,000, €3,500 and €2,500.
The new logo is scheduled to be introduced throughout the EU on 1 July 2010. In contrast with the existing EU organic logo, which is voluntary, the new logo will be compulsory for all pre-packaged organic products originating in the 27 Member States, although it will be optional for imported products. Other private, regional or national logos will still be allowed to appear alongside the new EU label.
Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, who first proposed the competition to select the logo, commented: 'I'm delighted that we now have a fresh EU organic food logo. This exercise has raised the profile of organic food and we now have a logo which everyone will be able to identify with. It’s a nice elegant design and I look forward to buying products carrying this logo from July this year.'
