Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 355/2014

of 8 April 2014

amending Regulation (EC) No 1235/2008 laying down detailed rules for implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 as regards the arrangements for imports of organic products from third countries

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 of 28 June 2007 on organic production and labelling of organic products and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 2092/911, and in particular Article 33(3) and Article 38(d) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)
Annex IV to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1235/20082 sets out the list of control bodies and control authorities competent to carry out controls and issue certificates in third countries for the purpose of equivalence. In the light of new information received by the Commission from control bodies and control authorities listed in that Annex, certain changes should be made in the list.
(2)

The Commission has examined requests for inclusion in the list set out in Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 1235/2008, received by 31 October 2012 and by 31 October 2013. Control bodies and control authorities in respect of which the subsequent examination of all information received led to the conclusion that they complied with the relevant requirements should be included in that list.

(3)

Article 10(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1235/2008 provides that the list of recognised control bodies and control authorities shall contain all the information necessary in respect of each control body and control authority to allow verifying whether products placed on the Union market have been controlled by a control body or control authority recognised in accordance with Article 33(3) of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007. In accordance with Article 12(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 1235/2008 ‘Institut für Marktökologie (IMO)’ notified the Commission of the change of its name to ‘IMO Swiss AG’, effective from 1 January 2013. This change should be included in Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 1235/2008.

(4)
As provided for in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 586/20133, the deadline for submission of the annual reports for 2012 by control bodies and control authorities was 30 April 2013. ‘Center of Organic Agriculture in Egypt’ did not send its annual report by that date. The Commission granted an additional period to ‘Center of Organic Agriculture in Egypt’ for submitting its annual report but it did not receive that report by 4 November 2013 either. In view of that, in accordance with Article 12(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1235/2008 ‘Center of Organic Agriculture in Egypt’ should be withdrawn from the list in Annex IV thereto.
(5)

Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 1235/2008 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(6)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the regulatory Committee on organic production,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: