Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2785 of 14 December 2023 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2325 as regards the recognition of certain control authorities and control bodies for the purpose of importing organic products into the Union

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 on organic production and labelling of organic products and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007⁽¹⁾, and in particular Article 48(3) and Article 57(2) thereof,

Whereas:

1. Annex I to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2325⁽²⁾ sets out the list of third countries whose systems of production and control measures for organic production of agricultural products are recognised as equivalent to those laid down in Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007⁽³⁾. In the light of new information received by the Commission since the adoption of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2325, certain changes should be made to the information concerning certain third countries.

2. Canada has informed the Commission that its competent authority has withdrawn the control bodies ‘British Columbia Association for Regenerative Agriculture (BCARA)’ (CA-ORG-002) and ‘International Certification Services Incorporated (ICS)’ (CA-ORG-009) from the list of control bodies recognised by Canada and that the control body ‘Centre for Systems Integration (CSI)’ (CA-ORG-004) has changed its name.

3. Israel has informed the Commission that its competent authority has suspended the control body ‘Agrior Ltd-Organic Inspection & Certification’ (IL-ORG-002) from the list of control bodies recognised by Israel and that it has recognised a new accredited control body ‘Lab-path Ltd’ (IL-ORG-005).

4. Japan has informed the Commission that its competent authority has suspended the control body ‘Rice Research Organic Food Institute’ (JP-BIO-023) from the list of control bodies recognised by Japan and that it has recognised a new accredited control body ‘Miyazaki Organic Agriculture Association’ (JP-BIO-043).

5. The Republic of Korea has informed the Commission that its competent authority has suspended the control bodies ‘OCK’ (KR-ORG-005), ‘Korea Environment-Friendly Organic Certification Centre’ (KR-ORG-007), ‘Neo environmentally-friendly Certification Center’ (KR-ORG-019), ‘ISC Agriculture development research institute’ (KR-ORG-021) and ‘Greenstar Agrifood Certification Center’ (KR-ORG-022) from the list of control bodies recognised by the Republic of Korea and that it has recognised new accredited control bodies ‘Sungnong’ (KR-ORG-039), ‘Tojo Glonics co. Ltd.’ (KR-ORG-040), ‘YANGPYEONG ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY CERTIFICATION CENTER’ (KR-ORG-041), ‘Haezin Corporation’ (KR-ORG-042), ‘Institute of Green Certification’ (KR-ORG-043) and ‘DODAM Eco-Friendly’ (KR-ORG-044).

6. The Republic of Korea has also informed the Commission that the control body ‘Doalnara Organic Certificated Korea’ (KR-ORG-002) changed its name and its internet address, the control body ‘Global Organic Agriculturalist Association’ (KR-ORG-004) changed its name and its internet address, the control body ‘KAFCC’ (KR-ORG-006) changed its internet address, the control body ‘Konkuk Ecocert Certification Service’ (KR-ORG-008) changed its name, the control body ‘Green Environmentally-Friendly certification center’ (KR-ORG-020) changed its name and its internet address, the control body ‘Eco Agriculture Institute Inc’ (KR-ORG-029) changed its name and its internet address, the control body ‘Korea organic certification’ (KR-ORG-031) changed its name and its internet address, the control body ‘Ctforum. Ltd’ (KR-ORG-037) changed its name and its internet address, and the control body ‘ORGANIC PROMOTION’ (KR-ORG-038) changed its name and its internet address.

7. The United States have informed the Commission that the control body ‘Department of Plant Industry – Clemson University’ (US-ORG-009) changed its name to ‘Clemson University’ and that the control body ‘Ecocert S.A’ (US-ORG-010) changed its name to ‘Ecocert S.A.S’.

8. The United States have also informed the Commission that the control bodies ‘Ecocert ICO, LLC’ (US-ORG-016), ‘International Certification Services, Inc.’ (US-ORG-017), ‘LACON GmbH’ (US-ORG-020), ‘New Jersey Department of Agriculture’ (US-ORG-034) and ‘New Mexico Department of Agriculture, Organic Program’ (US-ORG-035) have ceased their activities and were therefore withdrawn from the list of control bodies recognised by the United States. Furthermore, the United States have informed the Commission that their competent authority has recognised a new accredited control body ‘Certificadora Mexicana de productos y procesos ecológicos S.C.’ (US-ORG-069).

9. Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2325 sets out the list of control authorities and control bodies recognised for the purpose of equivalence and competent to carry out controls and issue certificates in third countries. In the light of new information and requests received by the Commission since the adoption of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2325, certain changes should be made to that list.

10. The Commission has received a request by ‘Ecogruppo Italia’ (BIO-187) to withdraw its recognition for all the third countries it is recognised for.

11. The Commission has received a request by ‘TÜV Nord Integra’ (BIO-160) to withdraw its recognition for all the third countries it is recognised for.

12. ‘Ecovivendi d.o.o. Belgrade’ (BIO-183) has informed the Commission of the change of its address.

13. The Commission has received a request by ‘Oregon Tilth’ (BIO-116) to withdraw its recognition for Bolivia, Chile and Honduras. The Commission has received a request by ‘Ekoagros’ (BIO-170) to withdraw its recognition for all product categories for the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, and its recognition for product categories D and F for Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.

14. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2325 should therefore be amended accordingly.

15. The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Organic Production Committee,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: