This equivalence arrangement took effect on January 1 2021 and covers organic agricultural products of UK or Canadian origin.
This equivalence arrangement means that organic products certified under the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Canada Organic Regime or UK organic system may be sold and labelled as organic in both Canada and the UK.
As long as the product is certified by a CFIA accredited certification body (CB) in Canada or by an UK approved control body, this recognition eliminates the need for UK organic agricultural products to have a separate certification to the Canadian standards, and vice versa.
Canada Organic products covered under UKCOEA
The following products certified to the Canada Organic Regime in accordance with the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR), part 13 (Organic Products), by 1 of the CFIA accredited certification bodies are accepted as organic in the UK:
- unprocessed plant products (produced or grown in Canada)
- live animals or unprocessed animal products (raised or produced in Canada)
- processed agricultural products for use as food (products whose full and/or final processing occurs in Canada)
- processed agricultural products for use as feed (products whose full and/or final processing occurs in Canada)
- vegetative propagating material and seeds for cultivation (produced or grown in Canada)
- wine (full and/or final processing occurs in Canada)
Processed agricultural products for use as food and processed agricultural products for use as feed have to be processed in Canada with organic ingredients grown in Canada or imported into Canada in accordance with the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR), part 13 (Organic Products).
Currently, aquaculture organic products, with the exception of seaweed products, are excluded from the scope of the UKCOEA arrangement.
UK organic products covered under UKCOEA
The following products certified in conformity with Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 and Commission Regulation (EC) No 889/2008 by a UK approved control body are accepted as organic in Canada:
- unprocessed plant products (produced/grown in UK)
- live animals or unprocessed animal products (raised or processed in UK)
- processed agricultural products for use as food (products whose full and/or final processing occurs in UK)
- processed agricultural products for use as feed (products whose full and/or final processing occurs in UK)
- vegetative propagating material and seeds for cultivation (produced or grown in UK)
- wine (full and/or final processing occurs in UK)
This recognition is limited to organic products that have been either:
- produced within the UK or
- products whose final processing occurred within the UK
CBs based in the UK that have clients outside the UK and wish to certify them to the Canadian Organic Standards must maintain their accreditation with the CFIA.
Organic products that are grown, produced or packaged outside of the UK are not within the scope of this recognition, even if they are certified to UK organic requirements.
Currently, aquaculture organic products, with the exception of seaweed products, are excluded from the scope of the UKCOEA arrangement.
More information on the labelling and form requirements is available from United Kingdom-Canada Organic Equivalence Arrangement (UKCOEA) – Overview – Canadian Food Inspection Agency
