ECA: Upcoming audit report on EU support for organic farming

Organic farming means the use of sustainable farming practices to cultivate crops and raise animals. Organic farmers rely on natural processes and substances to maintain soil fertility, control pests and diseases, and promote the health and welfare of livestock. It is therefore considered a key part of the EU’s strategy for achieving its climate and environmental objectives.

In recent years, the share of EU agricultural land under organic farming rose from barely 6 % in 2012 to over 10 % in 2022. Through the Farm to Fork Strategy and the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the European Commission has set a target of 25 % of the EU’s agricultural land to be under organic farming by 2030.​

The auditors assessed the design, implementation and monitoring of EU support for organic farming. In particular, they examined the EU’s policy and strategy for boosting organic farming, and the use of EU funds to support the sector’s environmental and market objectives.​

ECA press office will hold an online briefing on Monday 23 September. Journalists who wish to participate should contact press@eca.europa.eu for details.

The report and press release will be published on the ECA website eca.europa.eu at 5:00 p.m. CET on Monday 23 September.​

The ECA member responsible for this report is Keit Pentus-Rosimannus.​​​

The ECA’s special reports set out the results of its audits of EU policies and programmes or management topics related to specific budgetary areas. The ECA selects and designs these audit tasks to be of maximum impact by considering the risks to performance or compliance, the level of income or spending involved, forthcoming developments and political and public interest.