Organic farming
Organic agriculture is the production of foods and agricultural products on the basis of natural production methods while taking the protection of the environment and animal welfare into account. Organic farming does not use certain plant protection products, growth promotion aids, artificial fertilisers, or genetic engineering.
Range of goods and labelling
Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 defines the legal framework for all stages of the production, distribution, inspection, and labelling (such as "Bio", ecological, or organic) of organic products that may be marketed and traded within the EU.
These may be classified into the following product categories:
- live or unprocessed agricultural products (including seaweeds and wild plants)
- processed agricultural products for use as food
- feedingstuffs
- vegetative propagating material and seeds for cultivation
- yeasts used as food or feedingstuffs
The involvement of the Customs administration
The scope of the Customs authorities’ involvement includes the supervision of imports of organic agricultural products from non-EU countries. If any doubts concerning the admissibility of imports of organic agricultural products arise during customs procedures, the competent technical authorities are consulted.
The export of organic farming products and the movement of goods from or to other Member states of the European Community are not monitored by the Customs authorities. The same applies to the trade in goods with the EEA countries and Switzerland.
Required documents
Goods that are subject to the basic rules of the EC Organic Regulation and are intended to be imported as ecological and organic products providing equivalent guarantees from non EU countries - with the exception of the EEA and Switzerland - may only be entered into free circulation if a Certificate of Inspection created electronically using the TRACES NT (TRAde Control and Expert System) online application is presented at the customs office. Only businesses registered as organic operations with the relevant inspection bodies or supervisory authorities are granted access to that application.
