1. The Commission may, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 37(2) and the conditions set out in paragraph 2 of this Article and subject to the objectives and principles laid down in Title II, provide for the granting of exceptions from the production rules laid down in Chapters 1 to 4.
2. Exceptions as referred to in paragraph 1 shall be kept to a minimum and, where appropriate, limited in time and may only be provided for in the following cases:
(a)
where they are necessary in order to ensure that organic production can be initiated or maintained on holdings confronted with climatic, geographical or structural constraints;
(b)
where it is necessary in order to ensure access to feed, seed and vegetative propagating material, live animals and other farm inputs, where such inputs are not available on the market in organic form;
(c)
where it is necessary in order to ensure access to ingredients of agricultural origin, where such ingredients are not available on the market in organic form;
(d)
where they are necessary in order to solve specific problems related to the management of organic livestock;
(e)
where they are necessary with regard to the use of specific products and substances in the processing referred to in Article 19(2)(b) in order to ensure production of well established food products in organic form;
(f)
where temporary measures are necessary in order to allow organic production to continue or recommence in the case of catastrophic circumstances;
(g)
where it is necessary to use food additives and other substances as set out in Article 19(2)(b) or feed additives and other substances as set out in Article 16(1)(d) and such substances are not available on the market other than produced by GMOs;
(h)
where the use of food additives and other substances as set out in Article 19(2)(b) or feed additives as set out in Article 16(1)(d) is required on the basis of Community law or national law.
3. The Commission may in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 37(2) lay down specific conditions for the application of exceptions provided for under paragraph 1.