As a caterer you may use the Bio-Siegel to label products listed on menus, for instance, only if the following requirements are met:
If, at a food counter, on a menu or on a sign board in a dining hall, a dish, a component thereof or an ingredient is labelled as organic (or biological, eco, ecological), participation in the control procedure pursuant to EU provisions on organic farming is mandatory.
Click here for an overview on EU-regulations on organic production:
An approved certification body shall regularly verify compliance with relevant regulations. For that purpose, an establishment shall sign a contract with a control body of its choice and shall notify its activity to the authority competent within the respective federal state. Following successful checks, the establishment shall obtain a certificate of limited validity.
Click here for the list of control bodies for organic products accredited in Germany.
Organic ingredients that are purchased for a dish or the component of a menu shall be listed as organic or eco in the accounts. Controls shall verify the plausibility of volumes purchased and processed.
Click here for information on how to certify as a caterer.
On menus, care shall be taken for the Bio-Siegel not to be used in a misleading manner. A clear reference must be made to food, food components and other organic gastronomic products la-belled as “organic”. Therefore the Bio-Siegel must always be placed directly next to the food or components its refers to. Also, the code number (DE-ÖKO-XXX), issued by the control body shall be indicated. Instead, the currently valid certificate may be displayed on the premises. The EU eco label only needs to be used on packaged gastronomic products from organic production.
Click here to download information about label design and use, and the design guide.
Click here for the German Eco Label Ordinance.
For the time being, the Bio-Siegel is registered as a protected trademark with the German Patent and Trademark Office until 2021. Any claims as to rights of prohibtion or damages which might result under private law shall be pursued by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) as the proprietor of the trademark.
Before you use the Bio-Siegel you shall notify your intention to the Bio-Siegel Information Service and shall also provide samples of the menu, the display or other items to be labelled.
Click here for information on product notification.
