All pre-packaged organic food produced in European Union member states, including Malta, will have to bear a new logo from July aimed at making EU food more recognisable with a sign of high standards.

The logo, called the euro leaf, was unveiled in Brussels by outgoing Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fisher Boel last week.

She said other private, regional or national logos would still be allowed but had to appear alongside the EU label. The organic farming regulation will be amended in the coming weeks to introduce the logo into one of the annexes.

The logo was chosen following a design competition and an online poll organised by the European Commission. A total of 3,500 designs were sent to Brussels and more than 130,000 people voted online.

The winning design is by Dusan Milenkovic, a student from Germany, who gained 63 per cent of the overall vote for his logo.

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