Hanspeter Schmidt

Welcome to hpslex.

Hanspeter Schmidt is an attorney-at-law in Germany, who runs a litigation and advisory law firm dedicated to Organic Food and Organic Agriculture with these principles:

• Command of the scientific and economic background 
• Pursuit of excellence
• Unpretentiousness

• Availability to clients

 
Hanspeter Schmidt studied law and international relations at the University of Freiburg im Breisgau and the University of Georgia, Athens, School of Law (Fulbright Scholar).

After judial clerkships he entered private practise 1983 with the representation of citizens groups and municipalities concerning industrial developments, toxid waste incinerators, a nuclear power plant, high ways and various chemical production sites in Switzerland, France and Germany. Since 1992 he focused on organic agriculture and on providing for legal councel to companies and associations working in this field. Most clients are organic producers and organic processors, some are certifiers, not only organic certifiers, but also certifiers in sustainable forestry, energy and environmentally sound industrial production. Some are governments or public authorities.

Clients of hpslex are from the European Union, the United States, Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Turkey, The Peoples Republic of China, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Australia, and New Zealand.



Regulation (EC) No. 834/2007 has been enacted by the Council of the European Communities. It sets principles and objectives, which guide the EU Commission. At the same time it contains directly applicable production rules, to be observed by organic farmers and processors. Some rules are comprehensive, some not, most of them are not complete. Further production rules are to be found in Regulation (EC) No. 889/2008. This Regulation has been enacted by the  EU Commission. Most of the rules of this Regulation deal with issues also addressed in the Council Regulation. Thus, Zick-Zack-reading is required. Regulation (EC) No. 1235/2008 regulates the import of organic products from third countries. Further Regulations amend the first two Regulations. Ten amending Regulations may be expected each year.

See the German website.