This guide is intended for producers, groups of operators (producer groups), processors, and exporters of organic plant products in countries outside the European Union (EU) who want to export organic products to the European market. It explains the rules that apply for organic plant production, simple preparation/processing, storage, and export of organic products by individual “operators” (plantations, farms, processors/exporters) and by groups of operators (producer organisations, producer groups). More specifically, the guide is written for operators and groups of operators who are located in a non-EU country whose organic control system is not recognised by the EU for organic imports, and therefore who need to be certified in compliance with the Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848. It focuses on the requirements for organic production in low- and middle-income countries, where production systems are different from those in the EU.
The EU Organic Regulation 2018/848 is a legal act of the European Union, embedded in the EU’s wider regulatory framework. This guide aims to explain the legal requirements of the Regulation in simplified form for producers, producer groups, processors, and exporters in non-EU countries. It gives references to legal texts to help users find the relevant applicable regulatory text. Note that it is not an official interpretation by the European Commission. This guide will continue to evolve as the EU, Member States, or EU courts continue to introduce new secondary acts, additional measures, or rulings to Regulation 2018/848.
Control bodies (CBs) in non-EU countries must be officially recognised by the EU before they can conduct organic certifications according to the Organic Regulation. Control bodies have policies and procedures in place on how to assess and certify compliance with the legal requirements, based on their analysis of the legal texts and official guidance. It is very important for operators and groups of operators to always check detailed requirements under the new rules with their CB as they prepare for certification. This guide does not cover livestock or aquaculture production rules, or complex processing (of food or feed with multiple ingredients). It provides only a brief overview of the organic control system for imports into the European Union.
