Trade in organics

Importing organic produce

For an imported product to be sold as organic, it must fulfil all the requirements of the EU organic legislation. To ensure this, there are procedures that all importers have to follow when they wish to market a product as organic. These procedures depend on where the goods have originated.

For products which originated in

• Chile
• Switzerland
• United Kingdom

The EU concluded agreements on trade in organic products with the three countries in the above list. Details on dates of the entry into force, products covered and control authorities and control bodies can be found in agreements on trade in organic products.

For products which originated in

• Argentina
• Australia
• Canada
• Costa Rica
• India
• Israel
• Japan
• Tunisia
• Republic of Korea
• New Zealand
• United States of America (USA/US)

The eleven countries in the above list are recognised for the purpose of equivalence under Article 33(2) of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007, as referred to in Article 48 of Regulation (EU) 2018/848.

For the eleven countries in the above list as well as Chile, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, inspection and certification of most organic products* is carried out by the control bodies or control authorities under the supervision of the competent authorities of the relevant country. This is because arrangements for the imports of organic products are in place with these countries as their standards and control measures have been assessed as equivalent to those in place in the EU. They are often referred to as ‘equivalent’ countries.

(*For the products in the categories for which the relevant country is recognised. For other products, please refer to the section on products which originated in any other country.)

For products which originated in any other country

In all other countries, inspection and certification is the responsibility of ‘control bodies or control authorities’ recognised and supervised by the Commission to ensure that organic producers in their area of responsibility follow standards and control measures in compliance with EU legislation.

If you wish to import a product from one of these countries and market it as organic within the EU, you must contact the appropriate control body or control authority.

Standard control

Provisions on standard controls in third countries by control bodies or control authorities can be found in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2306.

Additional control

There may be additional controls or requirements on products imported from some non-EU countries.

Following an in-depth review of the notifications entered into the Organic Farming Information System (OFIS) over a period of one year, the European Commission and EU countries jointly decided that a number of products originating in a number of third countries should be subjected to additional controls from 1 January 2025 until 31 December 2025. This is to better ensure the integrity of organic production. The additional controls involve certain undertakings by EU countries and certain obligations for control bodies and control authorities recognised in third countries under the supervision of the Commission. The Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development’s “Working document on additional official controls on products originating from certain third countries” sets out these undertakings by EU countries in terms of additional official controls. The letter addressed to control bodies in third countries under the supervision of the Commission sets out these obligations in terms of additional control measures.

Additional advice is available for products imported from the USA.

For the purpose of exports of organic animal products to the USA, it is required that a complementary certificate is issued by the relevant competent authority or, where appropriate, the relevant control authority or control body certifying the non-use of antibiotics, as stipulated in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2304.

Certification

All organic products imported into the EU must have the appropriate electronic certificate of inspection (e-COI). These are administered through the Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES).

• Equivalent countries: certificates are issued by the control bodies or control authorities designated by the countries' competent authorities.
• All other countries: the certificates are issued by the control bodies or control authorities recognised and supervised by the Commission.

If you do not have an electronic certificate of inspection, your products will not be released from their port of arrival in the EU.

Export of organic products to non-EU countries

The export of organic products from the European Union to non-EU countries is subject to the destination country’s specific requirements, the details of which can be obtained from the competent authorities of the relevant country.

Related information

Export from the EU

Information for third country control bodies or control authorities

Organisations that assess and inspect organic operators from non-EU countries can apply to be recognised as control bodies or control authorities by the EU. This allows them to certify that products intended for import into the EU are produced in compliance with EU organic legislation.

Control authorities and control bodies interested to submit requests for recognition need to register in the AGRI Portal. The relevant forms will then become available via the Organic Farming Information System 2 (OFIS 2).