IP/09/954 Brussels, 18 June 2009 Deadline for entries for EU-wide Organic logo competition pushed back to 6 July 2009 With only some days until the deadline, the European Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development is putting out its final call for the EU-wide Organic logo competition. Design students from the 27 EU Member States are invited to enter their designs to the competition with the chance of winning great cash prizes and a claim to fame as the creators of the new official EU organic logo for organic products. The final deadline for registrations will now be 6 July 2009. The EU Organic logo competition is open to EU citizens from all ages currently registered at an institution of higher education for art or design based in the EU or who have recently received degrees in relevant subjects. The design competition has already been successful with numerous entries coming from throughout the 27 EU Member States. Until today, over 500 students have taken up the challenge and submitted their highly creative and unique entries symbolizing European organic food and farming. Even more students will now have the chance to participate and submit their designs after the deadline has been pushed back for another five days. Entries can be uploaded onto the special competition website www.ec.europa.eu/organic-logo . An international jury, comprising organic farming and production experts and high-profile design professionals, has been assembled to evaluate all entries which meet the competition requirements. Well-known jury members are Riitta Brusila-Räsänen, Professor of Graphic Design from the University of Lapland / Finland; Professor, Honorary Doctor, Creative Director & Managing Partner Erik Spiekermann from Germany; Elisabeth Mercier, Director of Agence BIO from France; Urs Niggli, Director of the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) from Switzerland; Szymon Skrzypczak, a prize-winning young designer from Poland; Tom Václavík, a marketing expert for organic products from the Czech Republic and President of the International Organic Retailers Association; and Craig Sams, the Chair of the Soil Association from the UK. Rob Vermeulen, former president of the Pan-European Brand Design Association will chair the competition jury. Submissions will be judged according to their universal appeal, their comprehensibility without the use of words, their clarity of presentation and their timelessness. After the most eye-catching and original logos have been selected in the official jury meeting to be held on 20 July 2009, the shortlisted entries will be displayed on the competition website www.ec.europa.eu/organic-logo . This competition is particularly exciting as all European citizens will get the chance to decide on the winner in an open online vote at the end of the year. Three prize winners will be selected. As well as having his or her logo design chosen as the overall design to be used on EU organic products, the first prize winner will be awarded a cash prize of 6,000 euro. The second and third prizes are 3,500 euro and 2,500 euro respectively. The winners will be announced in July 2010 and will be invited to the awards ceremony in Brussels, where the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development will present them with their prizes. Additional information about the new EU organic logo The European Commission is looking for a new logo for pre-packaged organic products that originate in the 27 EU Member States, and which have met defined EU standards in production. The new logo will come into general use in July 2010.The new EU organic logo will be mandatory for all pre-packaged organic products that originate in the 27 Member States and meet the labelling standards. Additionally, all non pre-packaged organic products that originate from the EU or that are imported from third countries can use the EU logo on a voluntary basis.