This draft regulation establishes the national rules for the organic breeding of rabbits.

Regulation supplementing Regulation No 1 of 2013 on the application of the rules for the organic production of plants, animals and aquaculture, plant, animal and aquaculture products and foodstuffs, the labelling thereof and the control of production and labelling

Pursuant to Article 1(2)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 889/2008 of 5 September 2008 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 on organic production and labelling of organic products with regard to organic production, labelling and control, this regulation applies only in relation to the species referred to in Article 7 of the aforementioned Regulation: bovine including bubalus and bison, equidae, porcine, ovine, caprine, poultry and bees. Products from the hunting and fishing of wild animals shall not be considered organic production.

Rabbits fall within the scope of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 as live animals, but Regulation (EC) No 889/2008 does not lay down any detailed rules for breeding them using organic methods.

Article 42(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 states the following: For certain animal species, certain aquatic plants and certain micro algae, where the detailed production rules are not laid down, the rules provided for labelling in Article 23 and for the controls in Title V shall apply. Pending the inclusion of detailed production rules, national rules or, in the absence thereof, private standards accepted or recognised by the Member States shall apply.