Adjustment of certification programs in organic production to the modified EU legal basis 2018/848

Need for transnational action

Local SEE Certification Bodies (CBs) face the need to align to the new EU Regulation2018/848 on organic production, which will be in force from 1.1.2021 onwards. Compliance with new organic EU Regulation is a big challenge for small local SEE CBs that can even affect staying in their business.

A transfer of knowledge is important to identify and tackle critical issues for the compliance approach for CBs outside of the EU. The project starts with an inventory of differences of the old and new Regulation, to identify CB procedures to be updated, training needs of CB staff and to develop information for the operators. Transfer of knowledge is important to harmonize the different approaches of local certification bodies.

Objective

SEE certification bodies acquire competence about the new EU Regulation 2018/848 and are able to implement the changes required and know how to work with the new list of compliant CBs.

Project implementation           

The members of the network of SEE certification bodies, which has been established under a previous PTB cooperation framework, will get experts’ support through series of webinars on interpretation of new EU Regulation requirements; continuous backstopping for CBs and On-Site-Workshops covering critical issues regarding new “EU approval” process for CBs in third countries. Training and technical assistance will ensure that all CBs included in the project have a clearunderstanding of changes and new requirements.

Expected impact        

Better knowledge and harmonized approachof local certification bodies on the requirements of the new EU regulation on organic production with regard to specific topics relevant for WB6 countries to guarantee continuation of export of organic products from SEE to the EU market.