European hemp association urges EU to raise THC ceiling to 1% in major reform push

The European Industrial Hemp Association is calling for a landmark reform of European hemp policy, urging the European Union to raise the legal THC limit for industrial hemp in the field to 1.0 per cent. The proposed ceiling would more than triple the current 0.3 per cent threshold and represent one of the most significant regulatory shifts in decades.

The proposal is set out in a new position paper linked to the next reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, which will govern farm subsidies and rural development across member states for the 2028 to 2032 period.

Aligning policy with science and global practice

Francesco Mirizzi, Managing Director of the European Industrial Hemp Association, said the time has come for EU regulators to recognise scientific evidence and international precedent.

Countries including Switzerland, New Zealand and Australia already operate with a 1.0 per cent THC limit, while South Africa has proposed moving to 2 per cent. According to the association, hemp cultivated at or below 1.0 per cent THC remains non intoxicating and far below levels associated with marijuana.

Under the current EU framework, farmers may plant certified industrial hemp varieties and still face compliance risks if environmental factors such as heat and sunlight cause THC levels in the field to rise marginally above 0.3 per cent. Even where growers act in good faith, this can result in crop destruction, subsidy penalties or disrupted contracts.

The association argues that consumer safety is ensured at the level of the finished product rather than by a strict field threshold. In its view, the 0.3 per cent limit creates disproportionate compliance burdens and legal uncertainty for operators across the supply chain.

Breeding and seed supply under pressure

Beyond compliance concerns, the association says the current limit is constraining Europe’s breeding and seed development pipeline. EU hemp varieties have been developed under tight low THC restrictions, which has limited genetic diversity and capped yield potential.

A higher ceiling of 1.0 per cent would give breeders greater flexibility to develop improved fibre and grain varieties, expand the EU varietal catalogue and help ease certified seed shortages as hemp cultivation expands into warmer regions.

Although not explicitly addressed in the position paper, the change would also benefit the CBD sector. Cannabidiol levels in hemp plants tend to rise in proportion to THC, meaning higher allowable thresholds could improve production efficiency for compliant CBD extraction.

A shifting regulatory history

THC limits for hemp in Europe have changed repeatedly over the past four decades. When limits were first introduced in the mid 1980s, the ceiling was set at 0.5 per cent. It was later reduced to 0.3 per cent and then tightened further to 0.2 per cent, before returning to 0.3 per cent under the most recent reform.

Each reduction narrowed the range of legally cultivable varieties and discouraged investment in higher yielding genetics. As hemp production expands beyond its traditional strongholds, debate over whether 0.3 per cent remains appropriate has resurfaced.

The European Parliament has previously discussed raising the limit to 0.5 per cent as a potential compromise. However, the association now argues that 1.0 per cent would provide a clearer and more competitive benchmark, bringing the EU into alignment with jurisdictions such as the Czech Republic and Switzerland, both of which operate at that level.

Climate variability is also cited as a practical driver for reform. Hemp grown in warmer regions may naturally express slightly higher THC levels, even when certified seed is used, increasing the risk of technical non compliance under the current regime.

Extending EU marketing standards to hemp

In addition to raising the THC threshold, the association is calling for hemp to be explicitly included within EU marketing standards under common market regulations.

Marketing standards are already used across other agricultural sectors to safeguard product quality, prevent fraud and ensure fair competition within the single market. Extending these tools to hemp would give the European Commission clearer authority to set EU wide rules on quality, labelling and market transparency.

With cross border trade in hemp derived products increasing, the association argues that harmonised standards are necessary to protect both operators and consumers.

Whole plant recognition and the road ahead

The European Commission last year proposed recognising the entire hemp plant, including flowers, as an agricultural product under EU law. This move would treat hemp more like other mainstream crops and could significantly improve legal clarity and market access across the bloc.

The association has welcomed that proposal and is urging legislators to complement it with a revised THC threshold that reflects agronomic reality.

Resistance from some member states is expected, particularly given that drug enforcement remains largely a national competence. Nevertheless, the association maintains that raising the field limit above 0.3 per cent is both scientifically justified and economically necessary.

Taken together, the proposals signal a coordinated strategy to strengthen the EU hemp sector. By easing cultivation constraints while reinforcing end market standards, the industry hopes to unlock greater competitiveness, innovation and long term growth across fibre, grain and cannabinoid markets.

Source: Hemp Today