NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR THE 2023 SEASON | | | Good day
Firstly, the international team at bio.inspecta would like to wish all of you a successful and healthy year; we hope to continue the positive and successful cooperation in the new season same as the previous years.
It was great pleasure to meet some of you in Biofach 2023 and many thanks to those who visited our booth.
In order to keep you up to date for the changes, new procedures and news in 2023, regular newsletter will be published and with the first newsletter 2023, we would like to summarize the content of this newsletter: | | 1. Season preparation 2023 | | - The updated data sheets and OSPs are available in the below link, please click on the link to download the relevant forms. If you have any problem to get the documents, please contact our back office directly:
| | - The deadline for submission of the filled/updated data sheet and OSP is April 1st, 2023 (international@bio-inspecta.ch)
| | 2. bio.inspecta AG recognition by DEFRA to certify organic products to an equivalent Great Britain Organic standard | | | After the Brexit, Great Britain acknowledges the EU Organic Regulation as the basis for organic products. With effect of 01.01.2023, certification bodies accredited according to the EU Organic Regulation have been requested to obtain accreditation by Great Britain authorities. bio.inspecta has obtained the accreditation. Following are the effects for our clients: | | - Production, processing, trade of organic products: No changes, the bi-OS (EU equivalent standard) remains the basis for certification.
- Operator certification: Certificates issued from 01.01.2023 onwards need to display the additional phrase: The named operator is certified to organic standards equivalent to retained Regulations 834/2007, 889/2008 and 1235/2008 for the purpose of exporting organic products into Great Britain.
- The COI format will not change, it will continue to be issued as pdf.
| | | Operators wishing to export to Great Britain (expect Egypt) are kindly requested to indicate this in the relevant (newly added) part of the Data Sheet update for 2023. | | | For any questions regarding the changed situation for Great Britain, please feel welcome to contact us under | | | Important information for operators situated in Egypt: unfortunately, the current accreditation for Great Britain does not include Egypt. We are in contact with the responsible authorities in order to add Egypt to the list as soon as possible. | | 3. Increased Control measures of the EU, Great Britain and Switzerland for certain products from certain countries | | | Increased control measures for certain products imported from certain countries to the EU are requested by the EU since 2016. For 2023, again the list of concerned products/countries has been amended.
| | | For the products concerned, sampling/analysis for the first COI requested in 2023 will be compulsory. | | | Please make sure to consider sufficient time before the planned export to send the sampling request to bio.inspecta. | | 3.1. Effected products and countries | | | The requirements on increased control measures apply to certain products originating from certain countries. They are applicable for operators producing, preparing, trading, storing, or exporting organic food and feed. | | 3.2. Requirements of Increased control measures | | - At least 2 physical inspections per year, one of these unannounced.
- Inspection before sowing of the first certified crop for farms certified for the first time.
- At least one sample per year (for producers, it is compulsory to be a field crop sample). This requirement is without prejudice to the export consignment sampling.
- Increased control on traceability and flow of products.
- Increased control on bookkeeping and financial documentation (accounting).
- Increased control on means of transport and storages.
- Information must be kept ready for inspection about all sales of organic products as conventional, including quantities and names of buyers.
- Export consignment sampling and analysis assessment before issuing a COI: For the products defined above, a minimum of 10% (20% for pomegranate from Turkey) of all export consignments needs to be sampled and analysed for the presence of unallowed substances. The percentage is calculated for each concerned product of each concerned operator for the period between 01.01.23-31.12.23. Please refer to information about the sampling/ analysis procedure and timelines in the information leaflet, Certification of Inspection (COI).
| | 4. Information about the new EU Organic Regulation | | | A new EU Organic Regulation has come into force in the EU member states on 01.01.2022, while outside the EU, there will be a transitional period until 31.12.2024 to shift to certification according to the new regulation. The amended regulation aims at guaranteeing fair competition to producers, prevent fraud and increase consumer confidence in organic products. It consists of the basic act Regulation (EU) 848/2018, as well as secondary legislation (so called delegating and implementing acts).
bio.inspecta will keep you informed continuously with more details of the new Regulation, and status of implementation, in order to support a smooth transition for all our clients.
| | 5. Reminder in COI procedure for season 2023 | | | Please make sure that you send your request in time manner, as all the COIs must be issued before the consignment leaves the origin country, Please make sure to use the new form. | | | For more information, please visit our website. | | | bio.inspecta international team is available to support you in any step, please do not hesitate to contact us or your local partner if you have any questions!
Kind regards,
| | | Farzaneh Mahdipour and international team
Head of International Services Division
Ackerstrasse 117, CH - 5070 Frick
Central +41 (0) 62 865 63 00
Mobile +98 (0) 935 869 4277
Hotline +41 (0) 62 865 63 42
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