Wine Law

REGULATION OF ORGANIC WINE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION 225 o low solubility mineral fertilisers; h) the adaptation of the production process, if necessary and within the framework of this Regulation, to take into account the health situation, regional differences in terms of ecological balance, local and climatic conditions, development stages and specific livestock practices; i) the exclusion, in the entire organic food chain, of animal cloning, the rearing of artificially induced polyploid animals and the use of ionising radiation; and j) the maintenance of a high-level of animal welfare that respects the needs of each species. Article 6 covers a list of specific principles applicable to agricultural activities and aquaculture that, in some cases, would be applied to the production of organic wine, specifically, the following: a) the maintenance and improvement of life and natural soil fertility, stability, water retention and soil biodiversity, prevention of loss of organic matter, compaction and soil erosion and combating these phenomena, and nutrition of vegetables with nutrients that come mainly from the edaphic ecosystem; b) minimising the use of non-renewable resources and external means; c) recycling waste and by-products of plant and animal origin as resources for plant and animal production; d) the maintenance of good phytosanitary status through preventive measures, in particular the choice of suitable species, varieties or heterogeneous material that resist pests and diseases, appropriate crop rotations, mechanical and physical methods and the protection of natural enemies of the pests; and e) choosing plant varieties considering the particularities of specific organic production systems and paying special attention to agronomic results, resistance to diseases, adaptation to climatic and soil conditions. This Regulation aims to provide the basis for the sustainable development of organic production and its positive effects on the environment while ensuring the efficient functioning of the internal market for organic products and fair competition, thereby helping farmers obtain a fair income, guaranteeing consumer confidence, protecting consumer interests and favouring short distribution circuits and local production. These objectives must be achieved by