“Historic victory for the industrial hemp sector”, says ICI president

The European industrial hemp sector celebrates a groundbreaking regulatory milestone. For Raffaele Desiante, president of the Imprenditori Canapa Italia (ICI) – the trade association representing the entire industrial hemp production chain – the recent approval by the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Parliament (COMAGRI) is a clear sign of legitimacy and recognition.

The approved amendment introduces an official definition of hemp, including inflorescences as lawful agricultural products in the European Union, provided that THC limits are respected and they are varieties registered in the European catalog.

According to Desiante, this is not only a legal victory, but also a political and cultural one:

“This is excellent news because it is now clearly established that the cultivation, processing, and distribution of hemp inflorescences are absolutely legal and permitted throughout Europe. It is time for our Italian companies to be treated like any other in Europe. It is not fair for the industrial hemp supply chain in Italy to continue to be harassed by criminal proceedings and seizures of completely lawful and doping-free products,” he said in a statement on ICI.

For the ICI leader, Brussels' decision puts an end to a series of “gray areas” that allowed restrictive interpretations based on ideological prejudice, without scientific or legal support.

The next step will be the plenary vote in the European Parliament, scheduled for October, followed by trilogue negotiations with the Council and the Commission. If confirmed, the new rule could come into force as early as the summer of 2026, definitively establishing industrial hemp as an agricultural crop in all its parts.

“It is a fundamental step to provide legal certainty to the sector, attract investments, create jobs, and further enhance Made in Italy within the European context,” Desiante concluded in a statement. 

According to Green/EFA MEP Cristina Guarda, one of the proponents of the approved amendments, the decision represents an important milestone for the future of hemp in Europe. “It is a victory that brings new perspectives to an innovative and sustainable sector, which in Italy is under attack from an obscurantist government willing to sacrifice jobs just to defend ideological prejudices. In the Agriculture Committee, on the other hand, we recognize the value of a production chain that contributes to the ecological transition, generates income, and attracts young farmers,” she emphasized.

Source: Imprenditori Canapa Italia