1.Where an operator considers or suspects that a product which he has produced, prepared, imported or that he has received from another operator, is not in compliance with organic production rules, he shall initiate procedures either to withdraw from this product any reference to the organic production method or to separate and identify the product. He may only put it into processing or packaging or on the market after elimination of that doubt, unless it is placed on the market without indication referring to the organic production method. In case of such doubt, the operator shall immediately inform the control body or authority. The control authority or control body may require that the product cannot be placed on the market with indications referring to the organic production method until it is satisfied, by the information received from the operator or from other sources, that the doubt has been eliminated.
2.Where a control authority or control body has a substantiated suspicion that an operator intends to place on the market a product not in compliance with the organic production rules but bearing a reference to the organic production method, this control authority or control body can require that the operator may provisionally not market the product with this reference for a time period to be set by that control authority or control body. Before taking such a decision, the control authority or control body shall allow the operator to comment. This decision shall be supplemented by the obligation to withdraw from this product any reference to the organic production method if the control authority or control body is sure that the product does not fulfil the requirements of organic production.
However, if the suspicion is not confirmed within the said time period, the decision referred to in the first subparagraph shall be cancelled not later than the expiry of that time period. The operator shall cooperate fully with the control body or authority in resolving the suspicion.
3.Member States shall take whatever measures and sanctions are required to prevent fraudulent use of the indications referred to in Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 and Title III and/or Annex XI of this Regulation.
1. Where the operator and/or the subcontractors of that operator are checked by different control authorities or control bodies, the control authorities or control bodies shall exchange the relevant information on the operations under their control.
2. Where operators and/or their subcontractors change their control authority or control body, the change shall be notified without delay to the competent authority by the control authorities or control bodies concerned.
The previous control authority or control body shall hand over the relevant elements of the control file of the operator concerned and the reports referred to in the second subparagraph of Article 63(2) to the subsequent control authority or control body.
The new control authority or control body shall ensure that non-conformities noted in the report of the previous control authority or control body have been or are being addressed by the operator.
3. Where the operator withdraws from the control system, the control authority or control body of that operator shall, without delay, inform the competent authority.
4. Where a control authority or control body finds irregularities or infringements affecting the organic status of products, it shall without delay inform the competent authority of the Member State which designated or approved it in accordance with Article 27 of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007.
That competent authority may require, on its own initiative, also any other information on irregularities or infringements.
In case of irregularities or infringements found with regard to products under the control of other control authorities or control bodies, it shall also inform those authorities or bodies without delay.
5. Member States shall take the appropriate measures and establish documented procedures to enable exchange of information between all control authorities they have designated and/or all control bodies they have approved in accordance with Article 27 of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007, including procedures for the exchange of information for the purpose of verifying documentary evidence referred to in Article 29(1) of that Regulation.
6. Member States shall take the appropriate measures and establish documented procedures in order to ensure that information on the results of inspections and visits as referred to in Article 65 of this Regulation is communicated to the paying agency in accordance with the needs of that paying agency as provided for in Article 33(1) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 65/2011 (1) .
Textual Amendments
1. Where a Member State finds irregularities or infringements relating to the application of this Regulation with regard to a product coming from another Member State and bearing indications as referred to in Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 and in Title III and/or Annex XI to this Regulation, it shall notify the Member State which designated the control authority or approved the control body, the other Member States and the Commission without delay via the system referred to in Article 94(1) of this Regulation.
[F21a. Where a Member State finds irregularities or infringements relating to the application of this Regulation with regard to a product coming from that Member State and bearing indications as referred to in Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 and in Title III of this Regulation or in Annex XI to this Regulation, and if such irregularities or infringements have implications for one or more other Member States, it shall notify the Member State or States concerned, the other Member States and the Commission without delay via the system referred to in Article 94(1) of this Regulation.]
2. Where a Member State finds irregularities or infringements as regards compliance of the products imported in accordance with Article 33(2) or (3) of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 with the requirements laid down in that Regulation or Regulation (EC) No 1235/2008, it shall notify the other Member States and the Commission without delay via the system referred to in Article 94(1) of this Regulation.
3. Where a Member State finds irregularities or infringements as regards compliance of the products imported in accordance with Article 19 of Regulation (EC) No 1235/2008 with the requirements laid down in that Regulation and Regulation (EC) No 834/2007, it shall notify the Member State which issued the authorisation, the other Member States and the Commission without delay via the system referred to in Article 94(1) of this Regulation. The notification shall be sent to the other Member States and to the Commission in case the irregularity or infringement is found with regard to products for which the Member State itself issued the authorisation referred to in Article 19 of Regulation (EC) No 1235/2008.
4. The Member State which receives a notification relating to non-compliant products in accordance with paragraph 1 or 3 or the Member State which issued the authorisation referred to in Article 19 of Regulation (EC) No 1235/2008 for a product for which an irregularity or infringement was found, shall investigate the origin of the irregularities or infringements. It shall take appropriate action immediately.
It shall inform the Member State which sent the notification, the other Member States and the Commission of the result of the investigation and of the action taken by replying to the original notification via the system referred to in Article 94(1). The reply shall be sent within 30 calendar days from the date of the original notification.
5. The Member State which sent the original notification may ask the replying Member State for additional information, if needed. In any case, after receiving a reply or additional information from a notified Member State, the Member State which sent the original notification shall make the necessary entries and updates in the system referred to in Article 94(1).
Textual Amendments
F1 Substituted by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 392/2013 of 29 April 2013 amending Regulation (EC) No 889/2008 as regards the control system for organic production.
F2 Inserted by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1584 of 22 October 2018 amending Regulation (EC) No 889/2008 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 (Text with EEA relevance).
Member States shall make available to the public, in an appropriate manner including publication on the internet, the updated lists referred to in Article 28(5) of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 containing updated documentary evidence related to each operator, as provided for in Article 29(1) of that Regulation and using the model set out in Annex XII to this Regulation. The Member States shall duly observe the requirements of the protection of personal data as laid down in Directive 95/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) .]
Textual Amendments