Organic products: Recognition of control bodies
Published by AGRINFO on ; Revised
EU publishes additional list of organic control authorities/bodies recognised under new compliance regime
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1748 of 21 June 2024 amending Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1378 as regards the recognition of certain control bodies in accordance with Article 46 of Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council as competent to carry out controls and issue organic certificates in third countries for the purpose of imports of organic products into the Union
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2140 of 6 August 2024 amending and correcting Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1378 as regards the recognition of certain control bodies in accordance with Article 46 of Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council as competent to carry out controls and issue organic certificates in third countries for the purpose of imports of organic products into the Union
Update
Under the new EU organic regime, from 1 January 2025 control authorities and control bodies must be listed under Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1378 as being officially approved (recognised) to conduct controls and certification of organic products in non-EU countries. To date the EU has published two regulations, 2024/2140 and 2024/1748, establishing a list of 32 approved control authorities/control bodies.
Impacted Products
Organic products
What is changing?
The new EU Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848 brought in a fundamental change from an equivalence regime to a compliance regime, with a 3 year transition period after it was applied on 1 January 2022 (see New EU Organic Regulation explained).
The EU currently imports organic products certified by control authorities and control bodies whose standards have been recognised as equivalent under the old equivalence regime. This recognition will expire by 31 December 2024. Before this date, control authorities and control bodies must be officially approved (recognised) to certify operators and groups of operators in non-EU countries under the new compliance regime. This process is ongoing.
The recognised bodies are listed under Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1378. Amendments to this Regulation will be introduced over the coming months with additional lists of the control authorities and control bodies that have been recognised.
Regulation 2024/1748, published in June 2024, lists the following 17 control authorities or control bodies:
- bio.inspecta AG
- Caucascert LLC
- CCPB Srl
- CERES Certification of Environmental Standards GmbH
- CERTIMEX, Certificadora Mexicana de Productos y Procesos Ecologicos S.C.
- Control Union Certifications B.V.
- Ecocert SAS
- ECOGLOBE LLC
- FOOD SAFETY S.A.
- IMO Control Private Limited
- Kiwa BCS Öko-Garantie GmbH
- Mayacert S.A.
- Organic Control System LLC Subotica
- Organic Standard LLC
- Servicio de Certificación CAAE S.L.U.
- Southern Cross Certified Australia Pty Ltd
- Tse-Xin Organic Certification Corporation
In August 2024, an additional 15 control authorities or control bodies were listed under Regulation (EU) 2024/2140:
- A CERT European Organization for Certification S.A.
- ACT Organic Company Limited
- Agricert – Certificação de Produtos Alimentares Lda
- Balkan Biocert Macedonia DOOEL Skopje
- Beijing Continental Hengtong Certification Co. Ltd
- CERTIFICADORA BIOTROPICO S.A.S.
- COMPANY OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE IN PALESTINE
- Ecovivendi d.o.o. Belgrade
- ETKO EKOLOJİK TARIM KONTROL ORGANİZASYONU LİMİTED ŞİRKETİ
- IBD Certificações Ltda
- LACON QUALITY CERTIFICATION PRIVATE LIMITED
- Metrocert S.C.
- Oregon Tilth Inc
- Organizacion Internacional Agropecuaria S.A.
- Organska Kontrola d.o.o. Sarajevo
Details on the category of products that each control authority or control body may control, and the specific non-EU countries in which they may carry out controls, are given in the Annexes to Regulations 2024/1748 and 2024/2140.
Why?
From 1 January 2025, only control authorities and control bodies that are officially recognised to conduct compliance audits will be able to issue organic certificates in non-EU countries.
To be recognised by the EU, control authorities and control bodies must submit a request for recognition under Art. 46 of Regulation 2018/848, and must meet the required conditions.
Timeline
Recognition of the control authorities and control bodies approved under Regulation 2024/1748 applies from 27 June 2024. Those approved under Regulation 2024/2140 are recognised from 10 August 2024.
What are the major implications for exporting countries?
Control authorities and control bodies must be recognised under the compliance regime from 1 January 2025. Commercial contracts between operators and control bodies are generally conducted some months in advance, and both parties will need enough time to plan and prepare for audits in 2025. It will be particularly important for operators in non-EU countries to know well in advance if their current control body will not be recognised under the new regime.
Recommended Actions
It is critically important for organic operators in non-EU countries to monitor the recognition process over the coming months, and to liaise closely with their control authorities and control bodies.
Background
The Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848 is the basic act that lays down the EU rules on organic production and labelling of organic products. It revises and strengthens the controls system, trade regime, and production rules that had been in place since 2007. It brought in a fundamental change to the regulatory approach, moving from the principle of equivalence to the principle of compliance. The earlier Regulation (EC) 834/2007 recognised that organic goods could be produced in ways that were different, but equivalent in terms of their outcome and alignment with organic principles. Under the new Organic Regulation, this changes to a system of compliance: producers in non-EU countries will have to conform with exactly the same set of rules as those in the EU, with no possibility to recognise equivalence. For further information see New EU Organic Regulation explained.
Resources
Commission Regulation 2018/848 on organic production and labelling of organic products
Commission Regulation 2021/1378 laying down certain rules concerning the certificate issued to operators, groups of operators and exporters in third countries involved in the imports of organic and in-conversion products into the Union and establishing the list of recognised control authorities and control bodies
Commission Regulation 2021/1698 with procedural requirements for the recognition of control authorities and control bodies that are competent to carry out controls on operators and groups of operators certified organic and on organic products in third countries
Sources
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1748 as regards the recognition of certain control bodies as competent to carry out controls and issue organic certificates in third countries for the purpose of imports of organic products into the Union
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2140 as regards the recognition of certain control bodies as competent to carry out controls and issue organic certificates in third countries for the purpose of imports of organic products into the Union