The new Regulation (EU) No 2016/1842 provides significant amendments to and clarifies some requirements of the Regulation (EC) No 1235/2008.
In particular:
- The deadline for control bodies willing to operate out of the EU and be recognised for the purpose of compliance is again postponed from 31 October 2016 to 31 October 2017
- A clear indication on how to categorise processed and unprocessed products is given
- A system of electronic certification for imported organic products has been developed and will be applied from 19 April 2017. For a transitional period lasting until 19 October 2017, its use will not be mandatory.
The new system is integrated into the already existing Commission’s electronic Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) - Other important clarifications to harmonise practices in the import processes are provided.