European Industrial Hemp Association has welcomed the European Commission’s proposal to clarify that all parts of the hemp plant fall within the EU agricultural framework, while reiterating its call for a harmonized 1% THC threshold under the ongoing review of the Common Agricultural Policy and the revision of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 on the Common Organisation of the Markets.
In its position paper titled Hemp sector proposal for the CAP 2028–2032, EIHA laid out a set of reforms aimed at strengthening legal certainty, competitiveness, and sustainability for Europe’s hemp sector. The proposals are expected to be discussed at both Council and Parliament level in the coming months.
Recognition of the whole plant
EIHA has expressed strong support for the Commission’s plan to explicitly recognize all parts of the hemp plant, including leaves and flowers, as agricultural raw material when derived from authoriszd varieties. The association states this clarification is essential to concludeing persistent legal uncertainty for farmers and processors, preventing divergent interpretations among Member States, safeguarding the internal market, and providing clearer conditions for investment and innovation across the hemp value chain.
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By formally recognizing the whole plant, the EU would address long-standing inconsistencies that have affected the sector and relocate toward greater regulatory uniformity.
The 1% THC threshold
Alongside whole-plant recognition, EIHA continues to advocate for a harmonized EU-wide 1% THC threshold for industrial hemp. The current 0.3% limit, they argue, no longer reflects agronomic and climatic realities. Environmental variations can push compliant crops just over the line, leaving growers exposed despite good-faith cultivation practices.
A 1% threshold, EIHA states, would provide legal certainty and reduce climate-related crop losses, expand the EU varietal catalog and improve seed availability, support research, breeding, and innovation, align EU standards with international benchmarks, and maintain a clear line between industrial hemp and narcotic cannabis. Industrial hemp cultivated below 1% THC remains non-intoxicating, and consumer protections continue to be enforced through EU legislation governing THC levels in final products.
Francesco Mirizzi, EIHA Managing Director, points out there are practical first steps to take before achieving the 1% tarreceive: “A crucial first step toward reaching the 1% limit is to raise awareness among the Members of the EU Parliament and the national minister about the fact that the 0.3% does not create sense from an agronomic perspective and if we compare the EU approach to more forward-seeing countries with higher thresholds, like Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa.”
As things on the hemp side launch to relocate, Francesco states the timeline now sees the first discussions starting in the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, though challenges are already clearly visible. “Discussions in the Parliament’s Agriculture Committee are expected to start next month, and Member States are already debating the Commission’s proposal to authorize the whole flower. Some Member States are particularly reluctant, but we are confident that we will succeed on that point.”
EIHA states it is ready to work constructively with EU institutions and Member States to ensure that the post-2027 CAP provides long-awaited clarity and competitiveness for Europe’s hemp sector.
For more information:
European Industrial Hemp Association
[email protected]
eiha.org/
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