The total organic area in the EU-28 (i.e. the area fully converted to organic production and area under conversion) was 10.3 million hectares (ha) in 2014 and continues to show an upward trend. The increase in area between 2013 and 2014 was 2.3 %, compared with +0.2 % between 2012 and 2013.

From 2013 to 2014, Croatia, Malta and Slovakia recorded growths of over 10 %. As showed in Figure 1, in absolute values, Spain presented the highest increase (100 300 ha), followed by Italy (70 700 ha). In 12 EU Member States, the area of organic crops decreased between 2013 and 2014. The most significant declines were in Bulgaria and Cyprus where the organic area fell by 8 373 ha (– 15 %) and 428 ha (– 10 %), respectively.