Guidelines for the issue of Organic Produce Certificates

Issued by the AQIS Organic and Bio-dynamic Program 7 January 2010

Purpose

1. This guideline provides information to facilitate the correct completion of organic produce certificates (OPC) by Organic Operators and certifying officers in Approved Certifying Organisations.

Background

2. Approved Certifying Organisations provide export certification, on AQIS’ behalf, for organic and bio-dynamic produce (as defined under the Export Control (Organic Produce Certification) Orders) exported from Australia. This certification provides assurance to the importing country that the product has been produced in accordance with the requirements of export legislation and importing countries.

3. The export of certified organic produce can be undertaken by two different arrangements.

1. Under AQIS equivalency arrangements with importing countries such as EU, Switzerland, Taiwan.  All products must be made in accordance with the National Standard for Organic and Bio-Dynamic Produce to eligible to enter these countries;
or
2. Under a conformity assessment arrangement such as United States and Japan.  Products are made in accordance with the arrangements made between the competent authority in the importing country and a certifying organisation in an exporting country specific for their market.  Product cannot legally be traded with countries other that that the arrangement is with.

4. Codex Alimentarius provides information on agreed standards for certification in its ‘Guidelines for generic official certificate formats and the production and issuance of certificates CAC/GL 38-2001’.

General

5. There are three types of organic produce certificates;

(1) Organic Produce Certificate EX1399 (OPC), for all countries other than those within Europe and Switzerland,

(2) Certificate of Inspection for Import of Products from Organic Production into the European Community EX11300 (EU), for European member state countries only. The member states of the EU include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France (includes Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion Island, French Guiana [Cayenne], St Pierre and Miquelon, and Mayotte), French Southern Territories, Germany, Greece, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain (includes Canary Islands), Sweden and United Kingdom.

and

(3) Swiss Confederation Import certificate (Swiss) for the import of organic farming products to Switzerland.

6. Exporters/operators should confirm overseas import requirements prior to export of Australian certified produce.

Definitions

7. Issue, in relation to export certification means “signing and stamping” the form by the approved certifying organisation.

8. Organic produce certificate means an official government certificate used to facilitate a consignment of Australian certified organic produce to an overseas country (refer: Order 1.06 of the Export Control (Organic Produce Certification) Orders 1997).

Reference

9. Part 2, of the Export Control (Organic Produce Certification) Orders 1997.

10. Codex Alimentarius, Guidelines for generic official certificate formats and the production and issuance of certificates CAC/GL 38-2001.

Issuing Organic Produce Certificates

11. The Export Control (Organic Produce Certification) Orders clause 1.05 states that export of organic produce is prohibited unless an organic produce certificate has been issued under these orders for the produce.

12. Certificates must be issued prior to the consignment to which the certificate relates, departs from Australia. In the case of produce destined for the European Union the organic produce certificate must accompany the consignment.

13. Please note; conditions relating to export documentation requirements to countries other than Europe may change without notice. It is advisable therefore that exporters and approved certifying organisations are fully conversant with the importing country requirements prior to issuing this documentation.

Organic produce certificate to be completed and returned to the approved certifying organisation for issue

14. All relevant sections of the organic export certificate(s) must be completed by the certified exporter/operator and the certificate(s) signed and dated.

15. After all areas of the certificate are completed in full; any blank areas remaining on the certificate and/or product lists should be ruled out to avoid any additional information being added after completion. Thereafter, the certificate shall be forwarded to the approved certifying organisation for issue (i.e. signing and stamping).

16. The description of the commodity and consignment to which the certificate relates must be clearly identified such as lot identifier or date coding.

17. Product lists must only list the organic produce for which the organic produce certificate is being issued.

18. Where produce requires export documentation under other Export Control Orders such as Meat, Milk, Fish, Eggs, Horticulture or Grain products, information relating to export documentation such as Notice of Intention, Health Certificates and/or Request for Permit (RFP) must be recorded in the area designated for related certification.

19. Where there is related export documentation, the details on the Organic Produce Certificate must match the product description, product units, weights, product codes etc.

Alterations to an organic produce certificate(s)

20. All information on the organic produce certificate must be legible – preferably typed. The approved certifying organisation’s representative must not issue an organic produce certificate that contains alterations or details that are not clear.

21. If an organic produce certificate has been issued by a certifying organisation, the exporter or other responsible person must not alter the information contained thereon, except for the following:

1. Port of Loading; and/or
   
2. Vessel/Aircraft; and/or
   
3. Date of Departure; and/or
   
4. Port of Discharge.

23. An approved certifying organisation may issue a “replacement” organic produce certificate where the intent to export has been abandoned by the exporter/operator and the previous organic produce certificate returned to the approved certifying organisation and recorded as ‘cancelled’.

Issuing of Certificates

24. An organic produce certificate should normally be issued by an approved certification organisation prior to the consignment to which the certificate relates being exported from Australia. In exceptional circumstances an allowance of 48 hours may be granted.

25. For certificates with multiple page product lists, it must be clear that the pages constitute a single certificate. This is managed through each page being identified with the same unique certificate number, pages being numbered (such as 1 of 2) and each page being initialed or stamped by the certifying organisation.

Approved certifying organisations returning issued organic produce certificate(s)

25. When an approved certifying organisation has issued an organic produce certificate, they will return the original copy to the exporter/operator who will ensure this “endorsed” export certificate accompanies the consignment.

26. Please note, approved certifying organisations and exporters/operators will determine the preferred method for the transfer of documentation. In the case of product to the EU, the certificate must accompany the shipment.

Return of the organic produce certificate by the exporter

27. All exporters / certified operators must return an organic produce certificate to the relevant approved certifying organisation within 7 days where the intention to export has been abandoned.

Return of organic produce certificates to AQIS

28. The triplicate copy (yellow copy) of an organic produce certificate must be returned to AQIS Canberra by an approved certifying organisation within 14 days from the date of issue. This includes all issued and cancelled certificates.