Regulation (EU) 2018/848: Documentation Without Paper Chaos

Regulation (EU) 2018/848 – Digital Documentation for Organic Farms

The EU Organic Regulation (Reg. 2018/848) has defined the binding standards for organic farming in Europe since 1 January 2022. For producers, processors and traders, this gives rise to extensive documentation obligations that can be considerably simplified by digital tools.

What does the regulation govern?

Regulation (EU) 2018/848 replaces the previous EC Organic Regulation 834/2007 and introduces significant innovations:

• Group certification for small producers (max. 2,000 ha/farm)
• Stricter import rules with a compliance requirement instead of equivalence
• Expanded product categories (salt, beeswax, essential oils)
• New requirements for seed and vegetative propagating material

The 7 core principles of organic production

Principle	Description	Documentation requirement
Respect for biological systems	Promote a circular economy	Keep nutrient balances
Soil fertility	Prioritise humus build-up	Document soil analyses
Biodiversity	Preserve species diversity	Draw up a crop plan
Resource conservation	Use energy and water sparingly	Record consumption data
Species-appropriate animal husbandry	Enable natural behaviour	Keep husbandry records
Regional cycles	Feed preferably from the own farm	Purchase records
GMO-free	No use of GMOs	Supplier declarations

Documentation obligations in detail

Field record (crop production)

Every organic farm must keep a complete field record:

• Crop sequence: Which crop on which field in which year
• Fertilisation: Type, quantity, timing and origin of all organic fertilisers
• Plant protection: Only approved products (Annex I of Reg. 2021/1165)
• Seed: Proof of origin, organic certificate or exemption
• Harvest quantities: Documented yields per field and crop

Flow-of-goods control

Traceability is a central element of organic certification. From the purchase of seed through sowing, care and harvest to storage and sale, every step must be documented.

💡 Practical tip: Keep a backup system in parallel with the digital documentation. During inspection visits, all documents must be available immediately.

Conversion period and deadlines

Conversion to organic requires different waiting periods depending on the use:

Type of use	Conversion period	Marketing as
Arable crops	24 months before sowing	Organic after conversion
Permanent grassland	24 months before harvest	Organic after conversion
Permanent crops (fruit)	36 months before harvest	Organic after conversion
Conversion goods	From 12 months	Conversion goods

Digital documentation with PermaNatura

PermaNatura Profi supports organic farms in complying with the regulation:

1. Automatic field record: All measures are recorded chronologically
2. Organic compliance check: The products used are checked against the positive list
3. Crop-rotation tracking: Crop sequences are documented over the years
4. Export for control bodies: Data can be exported as PDF or CSV for the annual inspection
5. Waiting-period calculator: Automatic calculation of the conversion deadlines

Common errors in organic documentation

• Missing purchase receipts for conventional seed (exemption!)
• Incomplete cleaning records in mixed farms
• No separation of goods flows documented
• Soil analyses older than 5 years
• Missing proof for organic fertilisers

💡 Important: In the event of violations, not only sanctions from the control body are at risk, but also the loss of organic certification for up to 2 years.

Conclusion

Regulation (EU) 2018/848 places high demands on documentation – digital tools such as PermaNatura make compliance considerably easier and significantly reduce the risk during inspections.