ORGANIC GUARANTEE SYSTEMS

•  Today, 110 countries have an organic regulation: 66 fully implemented; 19 finalized regulations but not yet fully implemented; 25 countries in the process of drafting

• Regulations include import requirements. •  In addition, there are hundreds of private organic standards of with standards extended to social justice, restaurants, fisheries,

ecotourism, cosmetics. • 576 organic certification bodies worldwide (from 85 countries), with a

few operating in most continents. • Certification bodies with private organic standards: 121

Anticipating the Future##

#!

An  Entangling  Web  of  Regula1ons    

•  Impor&ng  In:  local  regulatory/market  requirement  demanded  of  produc1on  from  other  countries  (different  agro-­‐ecology  &  sector  condi1ons)    

§  Expor&ng  Out:    from  local  agro-­‐ecology  &  sector  condi1ons  to  different  regula1ons  &  market  requirements  

What are the problems?

WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS?

BUSINESS-AS-USUAL IS NOT AN OPTION

•  The landscape for organic trade has changed drastically with the proliferation of standards and verification systems, North and South, East and West …

•  We need to improve access of all countries’ organic agricultural products to world markets and bring opportunity for new trading partners

•  We need to reduce transaction costs and provide increased economic opportunities to producers, operators and consumers

### #

ITF#International Task Force#

on Harmonization and Equivalence in Organic Agriculture#2002-2008#

Seeking Solutions

ITF Recommendations and Tools for Harmonization and Equivalence

##

Harmonization: Cooperation among governments and private sector, regionally, to create regional standards and recognition, which facilitate trade.#

#Equivalence: Determine that the standards and regulatory systems,

although different, meet common objectives and can be mutually recognized and accepted, which facilitates trade#

######

# Equivalence and Harmonization Tools#

#######ITF developed two practical tools, IROCB and EquiTool for# assessing equivalence of organic standards and certification systems.# Also useful in harmonizing.#

####

AIM is to add efficiency and standardize the equivalence# assessment process internationally – to make it easier for everybody##

EquiTool

(COROS) #

• Based on research on global common objectives and requirements of organic standards#

#• Can be used for both government and private standards##• Ten objectives ##• Standards can be assess for alignment with the COROS objectives and

requirements##• Promotes equivalence and harmonization based on objectives, not line-

by-line details##• Spreadsheet format facilitates entry of detailed other standards, which

are then automatically aligned to the objectives and related requirements of COROS. #

                                                               Interna1onal  Requirements  for  Organic  Cer1fica1on  Bodies  (IROCB)  

 •      Sector  Specific  Adap1on  of  ISO  65    •    Adds  requirements  suitable  to  organic  inspec1on/audit  and  cer1fica1on.      •  Addresses  all  points  of  ISO  65,  but  with  less  detail    •  Spreadsheet  version  for  assessing  alignment  of  other  cer1fica1on  

requirements  

Bilateral    or    Mul1lateral    Equivalence  

 

IROCB  &    

EquiTool/COROS  

Vision  

IROCB  &    

EquiTool/COROS  

 =  Regional  Organic  Standards  and  Technical  Regula1ons    

UN

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RLD

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                                           Clearing  a  Path  for  Sustainable  Trade  

                   

                                         

     IMPLEMENTING    SOLUTIONS        

OBJECTIVES

•  Dialogue between private and public institutions involved in trade and regulatory activities to reduce organic trade barriers

•  Focus on practical opportunities for harmonization, recognition,

equivalence and other forms of cooperation among governments and private sector organic control systems.

•  Facilitate international organic trade and access of developing countries to international organic markets

Our work#

• outreach!

•  pilot projects!

•  technical assistance!!•  facilitation!!•  analysis!

Our work#

• outreach!!

–  Presentations by appointment with key governments and other key stakeholders. !

–  Conference, 2012 “Let the Good Products Flow!”!

–  General presentations and sessions, such as BioFach !

Our work#

•  pilot projects!!

–  Self assessments of national standards and certificatio requiremeents to COROS and IROCB e.g Canada , Indonesia and Philippines!

!!!!!

Our work#

•  technical assistance!!

! !preparation of assessments of alignment of national standards and certification requirements with the Tools.!

!! !!! ! !- assessments completed for 7 national organic standards in!! ! ! connection with a harmonization process in Asia.!

!! ! !• Brazil and Colombia are underway!

Our work#

•  Facilitation, especially of regional harmonization and recognition process!

!! !Regional Harmonization process Asia!! ! !_ public-private working group on creating a system for ! !! ! !recognition of national regulations and certification bodies ! ! !in East, South-East, South Asia!! ! !- used Tools as basis for comparing an aligning standards!! ! !- developed Asia Regional Organic Standard, based on ! !! ! !COROS!! ! !- results are proposed to be taken up in the development of !! ! ! the ASEAN Economic Community, planned for 2015.!

!!Regional Harmonization process Central America and Dominican Republic!! ! !- in cooperation with IICA as regional facilitator!! ! !!!!

Our work#

•  Analysis !!

!- revision of Tools based on feedback. !!

!- study on Potential of Trade Agreements as Mechanisms for Equivalence of Organic Regulations!

!!!- analysis of the bilateral equivalence processes between Canada-US, Canada-EU and EU-US, based on interviews with members of the equivalence delegations!

!.!

                                     www.goma-­‐organic.org