The biolabel

The term “bio” or “organic” is one of major importance for many consumers. Organic farming is based on principles designed to minimize the man-made impact on the environment and to ensure that the agricultural system functions in as natural a way as possible The legal foundations for the production, labelling, and monitoring of food products from organic farming is the EU-Eco Regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No. 834/2007). This sets the general standards for organic agriculture, specifies EU-standardized minimum requirements for agricultural products and food of vegetable and animal origin, and regulates the labelling of products and the procedures for monitoring holdings and companies.

Biolabel for companies in the agricultural and food sector

Without certificate of provenance

The biolabel awarded by the Free State of Bavaria offers companies in the farming and food sector in the European Union the opportunity to label goods produced in compliance with the terms of the EU-Eco Regulation in combination with higher quality criteria.

The precisely defined regulations are a guarantee for the consumers of an economic system in harmony with nature and provide them with guidance when making their purchases. Both the farmers of organic products as well as the producers must fulfil the demanding inspection criteria and allow their products to be checked by state-approved and monitored inspection boards. The defined control system ensures a complete traceability of the products over the entire lifecycle.

The biolabel awarded by the Free State of Bavaria stands for

products and services over and beyond the statutory standards
a three-tier control system

With certificate of provenance

In cases in which the products of a certain provenance (e.g. Bavaria) made according to the higher quality criteria can be tracked along the whole path from their production, via their processing, all the way to the shop counter, they can be given a biolabel stating the corresponding indication of geographical origin. In this case the origin is presented both in the form of a corresponding logo as well as the colours of the state of origin in the inner oval.

The biolabel with the certificate of origin awarded by the Free State of Bavaria stands for

products and services over and beyond the statutory standards
a three-tier control system
a full certificate of origin

At the present moment there are no officially recognized biolabels in conjunction with certificates of origin.

Certified organic quality – EU

In general, all companies in the farming and food sector in the European Union are entitled to apply for the biolabel. Hence the following examples are also conceivable for the biolabel with certificate of origin:

The product has been made according to the provisions of the EU-Eco Regulation in combination with higher quality criteria of the “biolabel”; in addition all stages of the production of the raw materials, via their processing, all the way to the shop counter have taken place within the member states of the “European Union”.

Logos for the individual EU member states
Certified organic quality – Germany

The product has been made according to the provisions of the EU-Eco Regulation in combination with higher quality criteria of the “biolabel”; in addition all stages of the production of the raw materials, via their processing, all the way to the shop counter have taken place within “Germany”.

Logos for the individual German states
Certified organic quality – Bavaria

The product has been made according to the provisions of the EU-Eco Regulation in combination with higher quality criteria of the “biolabel”; in addition all stages of the production of the raw materials, via their processing, all the way to the shop counter have taken place within “Bavaria”.

Higher quality criteria

The participating producers from the member states of the European Union must run their entire agricultural operations (vegetable and animal products) on the basis of the EU-Eco Regulation. On top of this, the following additional higher quality requirements over and beyond the provisions of the EU-Eco Regulation also apply