European Commission Contest a New EU Organic Logo

Organic food meets fresh design: The European Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development is inviting all design and art students from the 27 EU Member States to enter the EU-wide organic logo competition. The competition offers a prize that money just can’t buy: The winning logo will be introduced as the official logo for organic products throughout the European Union in July 2010. On the eve of the organic logo competition launch, Mariann Fischer Boel, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, said: "The new organic logo will bring identity to the organic sector in the EU. It will help in creating the single market, and that's good news for producers and consumers."

With the goal of designing a clever and creative EU organic logo, the EU gives Europe’s up-and-coming talents the chance to create a design that could be printed on millions of product packages. The new EU organic logo will be mandatory for all pre-packaged organic products that originate in the 27 Member States and meet the labelling standards. Additionally, all non pre-packaged organic products that originate from the EU or that are imported from third countries can use the EU logo on a voluntary basis.

All EU citizens, registered at an institution of higher education for art or design based in the EU, are encouraged to enter this unique, international design competition. Three winners will be selected, and the first prize winner will be awarded a cash prize of € 6,000. The first and second runners-up will receive € 3,500 and € 2,500 respectively. Entries can be uploaded onto the special competition website www.ec.europa.eu/organic-logo until 25 June, 2009.