# EU Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848 - Certification body: ETKO Ecological Agriculture Control Organization - Category: Agriculture Certification - Canonical page: https://www.etko.com.tr/certifications/agriculture/eu-organic-regulation-eu-2018848 - Markdown: https://www.etko.com.tr/certifications/agriculture/eu-organic-regulation-eu-2018848.md ## Summary The EU Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848 is the updated legal framework requiring strict traceability and full compliance—rather than equivalence—for all… ## Does ETKO provide EU Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848 certification? Yes. ETKO certifies EU Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848 within its Agriculture Certification program. This page covers the standard, the application process, and related documents. ## What is EU Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848? The EU Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848 is the updated legal framework requiring strict traceability and full compliance—rather than equivalence—for all… ## Details # **What is the EU Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848?** The European Union's updated Organic Regulation, (EU) 2018/848, entered into force on January 1, 2022, officially replacing the former Regulation (EC) No 834/2007. The primary objective of this new legal framework is to strengthen consumer trust, tighten organic production rules, and ensure a "level playing field" between producers within the EU and those exporting from third countries. This regulation represents the highest legal requirement for all products—from raw agricultural materials to processed foods and feed—that are to be sold with an "organic" label in the European market. ## **Key Technical Criteria of the EU 2018/848 Regulation** The new regulation introduces significant structural changes to the supply chain. The technical innovations directly affecting exporters and producers can be summarized as follows: - **From "Equivalence" to "Compliance":** Under the old system, producers in non-EU countries could operate under rules that were *equivalent* (similar) to EU standards. The new regulation abolishes this. Now, no matter where you are in the world, to sell organic products in the European market, you must comply with the **exact same rules (Full Compliance)** as a farmer operating within the EU. - **Group of Operators Certification:** The regulation standardizes the "Group Certification" system for smallholder farmers globally. Farmers under specific size and turnover limits can unite under a single legal entity to reduce certification costs, provided they operate a robust Internal Control System (ICS). - **Precautionary Measures against Contamination:** Operators are legally required to take much stricter precautionary measures across the entire supply chain to prevent contamination from non-authorized products (pesticides, synthetic chemicals, GMOs, etc.). In the event of unauthorized substance detection, much faster and stricter procedures are triggered to suspend or revoke the product's organic status. - **Soil-Bound Production and Scope Expansion:** Hydroponic production is explicitly excluded; organic crop production must be soil-bound. Furthermore, the scope of the regulation has been expanded to clearly cover specific product groups such as sea salt, mushrooms, beeswax, essential oils, and raw cotton and wool. ## Who this standard is for EU Organic (Regulation (EU) 2018/848) is for operators who produce, prepare, distribute, or import organic products that will be placed on the EU market as organic: unprocessed crop and livestock products, processed food and feed, and vegetative propagating material. For operators in Türkiye and other third countries without an equivalence arrangement, certification is of compliance with 2018/848, not of equivalence to a local organic law. ## What is certified - Soil-bound plant production and, where in scope, organic livestock and organic feed - Preparation, packing, labelling, and distribution of organic products for the EU market - Groups of operators with an internal control system (ICS), where the group structure meets 2018/848 - Precautionary measures to avoid the presence of non-authorised products and substances - Import into the EU with a Certificate of Inspection (COI) in TRACES for each consignment, where required - Processed organic food/feed whose organic ingredients and processes meet the regulation ## What this standard does not cover - Equivalence to Turkish organic, NOP, or another third-country scheme as a substitute for EU compliance (unless a listed equivalence/trade arrangement actually applies) - Hydroponic or other non-soil production that 2018/848 does not allow (limited exceptions such as sprouts/chicory as defined) - A textile, cosmetic, or detergent organic claim (those are other schemes; agricultural ingredients may still need this certificate) - GLOBALG.A.P., İTU, or other GAP schemes used as if they were organic ## Questions buyers and operators usually ask ### We already have Turkish organic. Is that enough to sell as organic in the EU? Usually not. Türkiye is not treated as an equivalent third country for a blanket recognition of TR organic as EU organic. Goods placed on the EU market as organic need certification of compliance with Regulation (EU) 2018/848 by a control body recognised for that activity, plus a valid COI in TRACES for import consignments. Keep TR organic for the domestic market; do not print the EU organic logo on the strength of the TR certificate alone. ### What is a group of operators and when do we need an ICS? 2018/848 allows a group of operators (typically smaller producers) to be certified as one, with a documented internal control system, member registers, internal inspections, and sanctions. Size, turnover, and “same country / similar activity” conditions apply. An ICS is not a shortcut around non-compliances: the control body still audits the ICS and samples members. A trader or processor is not automatically a group of operators. ### What are precautionary measures in practice? Operators must identify risks of contamination with non-authorised products (spray drift, shared equipment, storage, parallel conventional production) and put proportionate measures in place. If there is a substantiated suspicion, the lot must not be marketed as organic until it is cleared. Precautionary measures are auditable; a signed policy with no field or store evidence is a typical gap. ### When do we need a COI in TRACES? Organic consignments imported into the EU generally require a Certificate of Inspection issued in TRACES NT, endorsed as the regulation requires, before the goods are released for free circulation as organic. Missing, late, or mismatched COIs (weights, lot IDs, operators) are a common border/control-body finding. Intra-EU movement of already imported goods follows different document rules; do not confuse a COI with a commercial invoice. ## What to have ready before the audit - Operator profile: production units, preparation units, storage, and subcontractors in the EU organic scope - Field/livestock maps, rotation or feeding plans, and conversion dates for land and animals - Input lists (fertilisers, plant-protection products, feed, cleaning) mapped to authorised products - ICS manual, member list, and internal inspection records if you apply as a group of operators - Traceability from incoming lots to outgoing labels, including non-organic ingredients in processed products - For exporters to the EU: TRACES access, consignment data, and the process to obtain a COI ## Frequent findings - Selling to the EU on a TR organic certificate without 2018/848 compliance certification and COI - Parallel conventional production without buffer, cleaning, and lot identity - Group certification with an ICS that exists on paper but has no internal inspections - Non-authorised plant-protection product or feed material in an organic unit - EU organic logo on product that is not certified for that operator and that recipe ## How do I apply for EU Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848 certification with ETKO? Download the application form from this standard page and submit it to ETKO. ## Application Process At ETKO, we manage your application process transparently, quickly, and clearly. Our process consists of the following steps: 1. **Application and Information Exchange** — We gather preliminary information about your company's structure and production processes. 2. **Proposal and Contract** — We present a detailed proposal for the inspection process and sign a contract upon your approval. 3. **Pre-Audit Preparation** — This is the process of preparing the necessary documentation (chemical inventory, social compliance documents, etc.). 4. **On-Site Audit** — Expert ETKO auditors visit your facility and examine your compliance with the criteria on-site. 5. **Reporting and Certification** — After non-conformities are resolved (if any), the audit report is approved and your certificate is issued. ## Accreditations - GOTS: International Organic Accreditation Service - accreditation for certification programs worldwide. - National Organic Program (NOP): United States Department of Agriculture — NOP accredited certifying agent. - TR Organik & GLOBALGAP & İTU: Turkish Accreditation Agency (TURKAK) — Turkey's national accreditation body for conformity assessment. - COSMOS: International Organic Accreditation Service — accreditation for certification programs worldwide. - Textile Exchange Standards: International Organic Accreditation Service — accreditation for certification programs worldwide. - ISO/IEC 17065:2012: International Organic Accreditation Service — accreditation for certification programs worldwide. ## Countries of operation Bangladesh, Pakistan, Ukraine, Korea, China, Denmark, Germany, Syria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Romania, Sweden, Bulgaria, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar ## Where can I find EU Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848 regulations and forms? ETKO's document center lists regulations, application forms, and current guidelines for this standard: https://www.etko.com.tr/certifications/agriculture/eu-organic-regulation-eu-2018848 ## Related pages - HTML: https://www.etko.com.tr/certifications/agriculture/eu-organic-regulation-eu-2018848 - About ETKO: https://www.etko.com.tr/about - Contact: https://www.etko.com.tr/contact - Document center: https://www.etko.com.tr/documents?category=agriculture&standard=eu-organic-regulation-eu-2018848