THC levels in hemp raised to 0.3% in Europe

The new European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was adopted on Thursday, November 2, and with it came an increase in the maximum THC content in hemp to 0.3%.

In October 2020, the European Parliament voted in favor of reinstating the THC limit authorized within the range of 0.2% to 0.3%. A year later, following lengthy discussions aimed at reaching compromises among the three EU institutions, the final proposal for the Common Agricultural Policy was adopted by the Council after a final vote in the European Parliament on November 24.

The new CAP, which will take effect on January 1, 2023, recognizes that farmers may receive direct payments for varieties of hemp listed in the EU catalog and with a maximum THC content of 0.3%. This amendment could lead to an increase in the number of hemp varieties accepted into the EU catalog.

As a reminder, this limit applies only if farmers wish to receive direct payments, which means that in Europe, it is possible to grow hemp with a THC content higher than 0.3%, provided it is permitted under national regulations—for example, 0.6% in Italy or 1% in the Czech Republic.

«This is a great day for the hemp industry and another step toward a greener future for Europe. However, when compared to other countries around the world, 0.3 % is still a low limit; for example, Switzerland, in the heart of Europe, has a higher THC limit for hemp, and other EU countries are already working with higher limits,» said Daniel Kruse, president of the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA).

«Scientific studies and many years of experience show that higher limits pose absolutely no risk to consumer safety. The EU is laying the groundwork for a growing, green, and sustainable industrial hemp sector throughout the Union and has the opportunity to restore a level playing field globally with regard to the industrial hemp sector.».