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E-News Service :
July 2008
Welcome
to the July, 2008 issue of the E-NEWS service provided by the IOAS and
prepared specifically for regulatory authorities and related bodies active
in the oversight of the organic food and farming sector. The mailing is now
going to over 700 professionals in this sector. Its purpose is to provide
regular, clear and concise information about the IOAS, its work and the
wider organic regulatory world. Please pass it on to any colleagues you
think may be interested or suggest they sign up themselves. There is no
charge, the distribution list is anonymous and unsubscribing can be done at
any time just by responding to
crucefix@ioas.org
The IOAS are pleased to announce
that LibanCert SARL, also
working under the name of Quacerta, of Chiyah Boulevard Kamil Chamoun
Baaklini Center, 4th Floor, Beirut, Lebanon have recently been granted
accreditation against ISO/IEC Guide 65 with scope
regulation EEC 2092/91 Production and Processing standards
and Lebanese
Regulation NL 724; 2003. The contact person is Ms Roula Fares -
roula@libancert.com and
www.libancert.com
The
European Commission Standing
Committee on Organic Farming approved the latest draft Commission Regulation
laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC)
No 834/2007 on organic production and labelling of organic products with
regard to organic production, labelling and control (Doc
AGRI/2008/61085 rev3). Further implementing rules are awaited on imports
which are now not expected until around October, 2008. Regulation 834/2007
will replace (EEC) 2092/91 from January 1, 2009.
The
IOAS European Equivalence Assessment
Programme is already available and 13 certification organisations
are currently under assessment. 3 options are available as follows: a
compliance option in which all requirements of the current (EEC) 2092/91 or
coming (EC) 834/2007 must be complied with and two equivalence options: the
first which incorporates formal accreditation against ISO Guide 65 with a
selected standards scope and an equivalence assessment of standards and the
second which allows for equivalence assessment of both ISO Guide 65
requirements and the relevant European standards and requirements. For more
information visit the IOAS
web site.
In
Canada, as the December 14, 2008
deadline draws nearer for implementation of the Organic Production
Regulations, an industry Transition Policy Team is working on proposals to
shape rules on the transition from a voluntary system to a mandatory one. So
as not to disrupt trade unduly it is expected that there will be a time
period following December 14 during which certified organic products from
all sources will have continued access to the market. In addition the
Canadian authorities and industry are considering pre-launch changes to the
proposed Canada organic logo and several amendments are in progress in the
organic standards.
Until
December 14, the system in Canada is
voluntary. The IOAS are currently processing 20 voluntary
applications from certification organisations for accreditation under the
Canadian Organic Regime. For details on application and assessment, please
visit the IOAS
web site.
Negotiations between the Canadian
authorities and both those in the USA and Europe continue with
the aim of reaching agreement on equivalence such that products certified
under the new Canadian Organic Regime will have free access to these markets
and, presumably, that product will be able to flow in the other direction.
All three regulatory blocks have provisions for recognition of equivalence
of other country systems.
On July 9 and 10th,
auditors from the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, Department of Commerce, USA visited the
head office of the IOAS as part of our biennial reassessment against
ISO/IEC17011. The IOAS IFOAM and ISO/IEC Guide 65 accreditation programmes
have been recognised by NIST as in compliance with ISO17011 since 2004.
At the
IFOAM General Assembly, which
took place in Italy on June 22-24, there was much discussion over the future
role and structure of IFOAM Accreditation. The IFOAM World Board brought a
proposal to the meeting which would have based IFOAM Accreditation on the
IFOAM criteria, dropping the requirement for compliance with the IFOAM Basic
Standards. Although this is much more in line with accreditation in other
sectors (compliance with certification requirements implementing a chosen
standards scope) counter arguments centred on the need for the IFOAM Basic
Standards to retain their central role.
At the
IFOAM Organic World Congress which took place in the few days before the
General Assembly, Barbara Robinson,
Director of the National Organic Program in the USA announced
plans to provide web access to assessment reports performed on all
Accredited Certification Agents. The plans are in response for calls for
greater transparency in the implementation of the NOP.
The IOAS
are both proud and sad, at the same time, to announce that
Roberto Ugas of Peru, a long time
member of our Accreditation Committee has been elected onto the IFOAM World
Board and will be leaving the IOAS. Roberto was elected and then promptly
appointed one of two Vice Presidents of IFOAM at the IFOAM General Assembly
which took place in Modena, Italy in June. Our sincere thanks and best
wishes to him. The complete list of members of the new IFOAM Board can be
viewed
here.
The IOAS
are offering a 3 day training course – ‘Management
of Organic Certification’ - in Switzerland in September 2008. An
ideal opportunity for Senior Managers, Quality Managers and Certification
Managers to come together for a training and exchange of experience, the
course was first implemented in the USA in 2007 and is being constantly
updated. We plan to move the course around the world year by year so don’t
miss this opportunity if you are based in Europe. The course will be
delivered in English. For further details please go to
www.ioas.org/train.htm
Following the above training the IOAS are again offering the 3.5 day course
on ‘Assessment of Organic Certification
Bodies’. This course is designed for personnel from government
authorities and accreditation bodies that are involved or becoming involved
in assessment and surveillance of the organic sector. The course programme
and full details on cost and facilities are available at
www.ioas.org/train.htm
Comments
on the performance and compliance with relevant norms are invited on the
following certification bodies which are undergoing, or about to undergo,
assessment or reassessment: ACT, Thailand (IFOAM & ISO65 & EU & Canada),
Australian Certified Organic, Australia (IFOAM & ISO65 & EU & Canada),
Bioagricert, Italy (IFOAM), BIO-GRO, New Zealand (IFOAM), BIOS, Italy (IFOAM),
CONU, S.Korea (IFOAM), Ecocert-Afrisco, S.Africa (IFOAM & ISO65 & EU), ETKO,
Turkey (ISO65 & EU & Canada), JONA, Japan (IFOAM & ISO65 & EU & Canada),
Naturland, Germany (IFOAM), Organic Certifiers, USA (IFOAM & ISO65 & EU),
OIA, Argentina (IFOAM & Canada), Soil Association Certification, UK
(Canada), TECPAR, Brasil (IFOAM & EU), WSDA, USA (IFOAM & ISO65 & EU &
Canada)
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Last updated:
14/10/2008
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