Exporting for organic businesses

Organic products that have been either:

• produced, (grown or reared), within the UK

• processed within the UK

• imported and further processed, within the UK

This applies to crops, wild harvested crops, livestock and processed food and feed products, aquaculture products, vegetative propagating materials and seeds for cultivation.

Products not eligible for export under the agreement

• in-conversion products

The EU leaf logo is optional for products which are  produced / manufactured / labelled in GB.

If you choose to use the EU organic logo on your label, it must also include an EU agricultural statement (in addition to the UK statement where packed in GB). Please refer to our labelling guide for further details.

All exports to the EU or EEA must be issued with a Certificate of Inspection (COI) issued by the exporters' certification body prior to the consignment leaving GB. These are issued on the EU digital platform TRACES NT.

To issue a TRACES COI, the product must have been produced or processed in GB, (re-packing or re-labelling are not considered processed).

You must ensure that you have a licensed organic importer in the EU/EEA and an organic licensed first consignee to import the consignment. They will both be detailed on the COI.

If you do not have the COI endorsed by your certification body before your consignment leaves GB, your organic goods may lose status in the EU or EEA, or will have to be returned to GB.

View full details of the TRACES NT requirements.

Organic products that have been either:

• produced, (grown or reared), within GB

• processed within GB

• imported and further processed, within GB

This applies to crops, wild harvested crops, livestock and processed food and feed products, aquaculture products, vegetative propagating materials and seeds for cultivation.

Products not eligible for export under the agreement

In-conversion products

The EU leaf logo is optional for products produced/manufactured/labelled in GB.

If you choose to use the EU organic logo on your label, it must also include an EU agricultural statement (in addition to the UK statement where packed in GB). Refer to our labeling guide for further details.

To move product from GB into NI, a COI issued on TRACES is required, unless product is moved under the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS) - see below for further details. For all other product, for example, product for further processing or packing in NI, animal feed, organic seeds and other organic product for use on farms, or product destined for sale in the EU a COI is required.

To issue a TRACES COI the product must have been produced or processed in GB, (re-packing or re-labelling are not considered processed).

View full details of the TRACES NT requirements.

The Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS) allows prepacked retail goods, and certain loose goods, to be moved from GB to NI without COIs, payment of EU tariffs, or completion of certain paperwork and checks.

Moving pre-packed retail goods

Foods for final consumption intended for sale on the NI market only are eligible and businesses must be registered to export.

Where relevant, goods still need to meet EU standards but to help avoid additional certification/assurance costs and to facilitate movement, goods can benefit from ‘ green lane’ arrangements. Organic products that qualify for the ‘green lane' do not require a Certificate of Inspection (COI). Products for sale in the EU, or that are intended for further processing, or animal feed require a COI.

Goods moved under NIRMS do not need multiple export health certificates, or be required to put an EU address on individual products. Movements use a single General Certificate instead.

Certain products (e.g some produce and livestock origin products) originating from non-EU third countries may not qualify for green lane movement due to a lack of UK-EU alignment on sanitary & phytosanitary (SPS), or produce of animal origin (POAO) requirements.

Labelling

Goods moved under NIRMS can use an address in the UK, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Products require labelling ‘Not for EU’.

You can view further details in Defra labelling guidance

Defra traders team confirmed the following are eligible for export without a COI via the ‘green lane’:

• all Great Britain origin products eligible

• all Northern Ireland products processed in Great Britain eligible.

• all EU origin products eligible

• the majority of product entering GB direct from ROW, where further processed in GB . The following exceptions apply:

  • products that have no sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements, for example tinned fish, bananas, pineapples, durian, coconuts, pasta, noodles and couscous (except for when they contain meat products, for example meat filled pasta or couscous and noodles mixed with meat), bread, cakes, biscuits, waffles, soup stocks and flavourings and confectionery (including sweets), chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa

  • products which do not require certification or controls for example processed or canned fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds, flour and wine

  • fisheries products that come from countries specified in the EU IUU implementing regulations

  • products where the UK is taking the same approach as the EU to protect against the same pests and diseases; this should include:

    • Meat: fresh, chilled or frozen New Zealand lamb; pet food and dog chews

      Vegetables: onions, shallots, garlic, cauliflowers, broccoli. peas, beans peppers, pumpkins, squash and gourds, sweetcorn, sweet potatoes and asparagus

    • Fruit: tomatoes, avocados, grapes, melons, watermelons, apples, pears, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, mulberries, loganberries, blueberries, cranberries and ginger.

Further information

If you have specific questions about the scheme please email ni.trade@defra.gov.uk

Organic products that have been either:

• produced, (grown or reared), within the UK

• processed within the UK

• imported and further processed, within the UK

This applies to crops, wild harvested crops, livestock and processed food and feed products, vegetative propagating materials and seeds for cultivation.

Products not eligible for export under the agreement

• aquatic animals (for example, fish, shellfish)

• rabbits and processed products containing ingredients from rabbits

• in-conversion products

We are not aware of any additional labelling requirements for organic products.

Bio Suisse and its Bio Suisse Organic logo are the most recognised certification logo in Switzerland. It has strict standards for use of its logo. Read guidance on the Bio Suisse scheme.

All exports must be issued with a Certificate of Inspection (COI) issued by the exporters' certification body prior to the consignment leaving GB. Although Switzerland is not an EU member, they use the EU TRACES NT system  for COIs.

Organic products that have been either:

• produced, (grown or reared), within the UK and processed

• imported and further processed within the UK

Processed food products must contain at least 95 % organic ingredients.

The Korean Food Code defines processed food as follows:

"Food manufactured, processed and packaged by: adding food or food additives to food ingredients (agricultural, forest, livestock or fishery products, etc.); transforming into unrecognizable forms (grinding or cutting, etc.); mixing such transformed ones or adding food or food additives to such mixture. However, this excludes the agricultural, forest, livestock or fishery products that are simply cut, peeled, salted, ripened or heated (except for the purpose of pasteurization or where such treatment causes significant changes to the products) without using food additives or other ingredients, to the extent that their original forms can still be recognized; provided that during such process, there are no concerns about sanitary risks and that the quality of food can be identified organoleptically."

RoK will not accept the EU logo for products processed in GB.

Check ROK labelling requirements with your importer to ensure your product labels meet ROK requirements.

All exports to the RoK will need to complete a NAQS document that will be transferred to the e-NAQS system by the COI team.

For more information on what the Korean Food Code defines as processed, please contact our COI team at coi@soilassociation.org or email your completed NAQS import certificate request form.

Organic products that have been either:

• produced, (grown or reared), within the UK

• processed within the UK

• imported and packed, or further processed, within the UK

This applies to crops, wild harvested crops, livestock and processed products.

Note: This also applies to exports to Puerto Rica and the export documents detailed below must also be used.

Products not eligible for export under the agreement

• agricultural products derived from animals treated with antibiotics

• aquatic animals (for example, fish, shellfish)

• in-conversion products

Exporting products with ingredients derived from livestock

If you wish to export livestock products, or processed products containing livestock ingredients (including dairy and honey products), we will need to verify that the livestock has been reared without the use of antibiotics.

See our guide to certification for livestock.

Exporting aquatic animals (for example, fish, shellfish)

Aquaculture animal products that are certified organic under another government’s organic regulations may be sold as organic in the USA. This means that aquaculture animal products certified to the GB organic regulation for aquaculture production may be exported to the USA, even though they are outside of the scope of UK-US equivalence agreement.

These products must not use the NOP logo or refer to USDA organic certification. These products do not require an NOP Import Certificate.

Wine

Wine must be produced (complying with NOP composition requirements), and labelled according to the USDA NOP regulations. Further details can be found in this USDA guidance.

You must ensure labelling meets the requirements of the USDA NOP standards. Products may display the USDA organic seal.

Alcohol products labelling must meet both the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) requirements and USDA organic regulations.

View our labelling guidelines for exporting product to the USA.

There must be a US importer licensed to the NOP standards.

All exports must have a valid National Organic Programme import certificate (NOPs) issued prior to the consignment leaving the UK. The NOPs are registered in the Integrity Database by the exporters' certification body.

Each Soil Association Certification licensed exporter must be registered on the Integrity database. Our Import/Export team will complete this process on your behalf. Please complete the NOP in scope product list form and email to coi@soilassociation.org so we can begin registration prior to exporting.

In addition, for each consignment that you wish to export, please complete this form and email to coi@soilassociation.org. The team will then verify the products, issue them on the USDA Global Organic Integrity database, and provide you with a PDF of your endorsed import certificate.

Find out more information on the USDA Organic Integrity Database and learn more about how exporters to the US can comply with the SOE rule by downloading guidance from the OTA.

You can find more information on the UK-USA agreement on the US Department of Agriculture website.

Alcohol products

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) may require formula approval or laboratory sample analysis. View their webpage for further details.

NOP Certification

We can offer certification to NOP standards via our partner Ecocert if you wish to export products not covered by the equivalence agreement, such as less than 95%, or you wish to have the flexibility of acting as your own importer in the US.

We will undertake the inspection for Ecocert and where possible we will try to combine both your GB organic inspections at the same time to reduce costs. Please be aware this may not always be possible.

To start the process or find out more you can contact Ecocert and request a quotation at nop@ecocert.com.

Organic products that have been either:

• produced, (grown or reared), within the UK

• processed with the UK

• imported and further processed within the UK

This applies to crops, wild harvested crops, livestock and processed products (food and feed), wine, seed, seaweed, vegetative propagating material.

Products not eligible for export under the agreement

• aquaculture products, (with the exception of seaweed products) are not covered by the equivalence agreement

• in-conversion products

To enable export of aquaculture products we offer certification to the Canadian Organic Regime (COR). Read our COR guide to certification.

You must ensure labelling meets all Canadian organic labelling requirements. Product may display the Canada organic logo. You can find more information on the agreement on the Canadian Organic Regime website.

All exports must be accompanied by the exporters organic certificate and an Export Certificate for Organic Product issued prior to the consignment arriving in Canada.

Complete this form and email to coi@soilassociation.org

The team will then verify the product and provide you with a PDF of your endorsed import certificate.

Canada requires importers and brokers to submit a digital copy of the exporter’s organic certificate as part of their release request through the Single Window Initiative (SWI).

Organic products that have been either:

• produced, (grown or reared), within the UK

• processed within the UK

• imported and further processed, within the UK

This applies to crops, wild harvested crops, livestock and processed products.

Products not eligible for export under the agreement

Aquaculture products and processed food containing aquaculture products (animals and algae), in-conversion products, honey, animal feed, in-conversion product and vegetative propagating material.

Can product outside of the scope of the equivalence agreement be exported to Japan?

Algae and animal feed are covered by the scope of the Japanese standards and must display the JAS Organic logo to be placed on the Japanese market. They may only be exported to Japan if the exporter and operators in the supply chain, including farms, have JAS certification to the JAS standard by a JAS certifier. Please see below for further details on JAS certification.

Honey and aquaculture animals are not covered by the scope of the Japanese Standards. These products may be exported to Japan and placed on the market but cannot display the JAS Organic logo.

JAS Certification

We can offer certification to JAS standard via our partner Ecocert. If you wish to export products not covered by the equivalence agreement, (livestock products, algae, animal feed), or where a Japan based importer is not willing or able to apply the JAS Organic logo or contract its application out to third parties.

If you wish to explore this option please contact us at international@soilassociation.org.

Alternatively, you can contact Ecocert and request a quotation.

Labelling must meet all Japanese organic labelling requirements.

Organic products sold in Japan must display the JAS Organic logo. There are two options for applying the JAS Organic logo, (also referred to as JAS Seal), under the equivalence agreement:

The JAS Organic logo is applied to the products by the registered importer in Japan.

The JAS Organic logo is applied to the products in the UK. This requires a ‘consigning contract’ between the importer and the company applying the JAS Organic logo in the UK.

See details here in the JAS Q&A document (pages 31 to 40).

To export product to Japan you need an importer in Japan registered with a certification body to the Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS).

Each consignment must be accompanied by the exporters organic certificate listing the exported products and an export certificate issued prior to the consignment arriving in Japan.

Complete this form and email to coi@soilassociation.org.

The team will then verify the product and provide you with a PDF of your endorsed export certificate.

Further details of the Japanese organic standards can be found on the MAFF website.

• unprocessed agricultural and animal products

• processed agricultural and animal products

This applies to crops, livestock, honey, aquaculture and seaweed products.

Pork products, alcohol, and products containing alcohol are prohibited.

Check with the Saudi authorities and / or your importer to ensure your products meet the country labelling requirements.

All exports must be accompanied by the exporters organic certificate, trading schedule and an Export Certificate.

Complete this form and email to coi@soilassociation.org along with supporting documents such as your commercial invoice and / or packing list which shows the product information and importer and exporter details.

The team will then verify the product and provide you with a PDF of your endorsed export certificate. Your organic certificate and trading schedule can be found through the Certification portal.

The importer in Saudi Arabia must also apply to one of the Authentication Bodies listed in the Saudi Arabia ‘Organic Food Products Clearance Conditions and requirements’ document detailed below. This is an additional, document-based verification process carried out before the consignment leaves the country of origin. The authentication body will then release a certificate according to the local law as evidence for the importer to present to the Saudi authorities before the import of the product.

View Saudi Arabia requirements.

Products that have been either:

• produced (grown or reared) and processed within the UK

• imported and further processed within the UK

This applies to processed crops and wild harvested crops, processed livestock products (there are some exceptions as detailed below).

Products not eligible for export under the agreement

• alcoholic beverages

• bee products

• animal products made with livestock ingredients where animals have been treated with antibiotics

• products with added sodium nitrite and / or potassium nitrate

• aquaculture products (animal or algae, unprocessed or processed)

• organic yeast / any product containing organic yeast as an ingredient

• in-conversion products

Exporting products with ingredients derived from livestock

If you wish to export processed products containing livestock ingredients, we will need to verify that the livestock have been reared without the use of antibiotics.

See our guide to certification for livestock.

UK organic products exported to Taiwan must also not bear the EU logo or references to the EU in the statement of agriculture on the label.

We are currently awaiting details from Defra of Taiwan’s export documentation requirements.

You can find an announcement of the agreement in this Defra press release.

We are not aware of any restrictions on the type of organic food product that can be imported into Turkey.

Check with the Turkish authorities and/or your importer to ensure your products meet the country labelling requirements. 

lmported organic products must be inspected and certified by an authorised control body in Turkey. For that, the importing company must apply to an authorised control body and provide the required information and documents such as information on the amount, origin and type of the imported lot as well as the latest inspection report (see Article 32 of the Turkish Organic Regulation). We will always ask you before sharing this information with another CB but failure to supply it may mean the product cannot enter the market.

Based on these documents, the control body in Turkey will conduct an inspection to determine, if the imported product meets all requirements to be certified as organic. Once the certification is granted, the product can officially be imported and marketed as organic. Before exporting we recommend speaking to your buyer and organising all of the documentation required for this ahead of the export.