Does organic still have a ring-fenced budget in the EU promotion policy?

The short answer: yes, even though it has been reduced, for SIMPLE projects. No MULTI projects will be funded in 2025.

Due to a reshuffling of the Commission’s budget, some of the budget that could have gone to promotion policies will have to be used for other purposes, for example, supporting Ukraine and the next generation EU funds.

So, the Commission had to take some difficult decisions:

• MULTI projects, or projects in which several Member States take part, will not be funded in the 2025 annual working program. Ongoing MULTI programmes will keep on being funded. The same goes for own initiative activities of the Commission, like business trips to promote the EU’s food excellence abroad;
• Topics of promotion policy will stay the same for SIMPLE projects (projects in which only one Member State takes part), for example, organic is still a topic funded by the promotion policy budget;
• The budget for SIMPLE programmes for organic was reduced from €14 million (2024) to €10 million (2025) for the internal market. The budget for organic and sustainable for the simple programmes for third countries will remain unchanged: €5 million both in 2024 and in 2025.

The Commission will also provide amendments to secondary legislation:

• Clarifying continuation rules;
• Introducing implementation based on “lump sums” to focus on results. This will not be implemented in the next call, but in two years’ time;
• Strengthening commitment of beneficiaries to ensure absence of conflict of interests.

The EU’s promotion policy helps EU producers to sell their farm products and open new market opportunities for EU farmers and the wider food industry. To promote EU organic and sustainable agricultural practices, the Commission annually pledges a dedicated budget.

IFOAM Organics Europe’s members can watch session about this on our member extranet, providing them with more information about promotion policies and how to apply. For access to the member extranet and information about what you can gain from being a member, read our membership page and contact [email protected].