Commission Regulation (EC) No 1235/2008Show full title

[F1 Article 13 U.K. Certificate of inspection

1. The release for free circulation in [F2 Great Britain] of a consignment of products referred to in Article 1(2) of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 and imported in accordance with Article 33 of that Regulation shall be conditional on:

(a) the submission of an original certificate of inspection to the F3 ... competent authority;

(b) the verification of the consignment and the endorsement of the certificate of inspection by the F4 ... competent authority; and

(c) the indication of the number of the certificate of inspection in the customs declaration for release for free circulation as referred to in [F5 paragraph 17(4) of Schedule 1 to the Taxation (Cross-border) Trade Act 2018.]

The verification of the consignment and the endorsement of the certificate of inspection shall be carried out by the [F6 competent authority.]

F7 ...

[F8 The requirements in this Article relating to certificates of inspection apply to organic products entering the United Kingdom from the European Union, an EEA state or Switzerland only on and after [F9 1 February 2025].]

2. [F10 The certificate of inspection shall be issued by the relevant control authority or control body before the consignment leaves the third country of export or origin. It shall be endorsed by the F11 ... competent authority and completed by the first consignee on the basis of the model and the notes set out in Annex V and using [F12 Great Britain's import control system].]

F13 ...

When the original certificate of inspection is a printed and hand-signed copy of the completed electronic certificate in [F14 the United Kingdom's import control system], control authorities, control bodies, F15 ... competent authorities and the first consignee shall verify at each stage of issuing, endorsement and reception of the certificate of inspection that this copy corresponds to the information indicated in [F14 the United Kingdom's import control system]. [F16 In the absence in the printed hand-signed copy of the certificate of inspection of the information related to transport documents in boxes 16 and 17, and the relevant fields of box 13, or where such information is different than the one available in [F14 the United Kingdom's import control system], F15 ... competent authorities and the first consignee shall only consider for the purpose of verification and endorsement of the certificate of inspection the information available in [F14 the United Kingdom's import control system].]

3. To be accepted for endorsement, the certificate of inspection shall have been issued by the control authority or control body of the producer or the processor of the product concerned or, where the operator carrying out the last operation for the purposes of preparation is different from the producer or processor of the product, by the control authority or control body of the operator carrying out the last operation for the purposes of preparation as defined in Article 2(i) of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007.

That control authority or control body shall be:

(a) a control authority or control body listed in [F17 the Article 7 list] for the products concerned and for the third country in which the products have their origin, or, where applicable, in which the last operation for the purposes of preparation has been carried out; or

(b) a control authority or control body listed in [F18 the Article 10 list] for the products concerned and for the third country in which the products have their origin or in which the last operation for the purposes of preparation has been carried out.

4. [F19 The control authority or control body issuing the certificate of inspection shall only issue the certificate of inspection and sign the declaration in box 18 of the certificate after it has carried out a documentary check on the basis of all relevant inspection documents, including in particular the production plan for the product concerned, commercial documents and, as appropriate according to its risk assessment, it has carried out a physical check of the consignment. The information related to transport documents in box 13, in particular number of packages and net weight, and the information in boxes 16 and 17 of the certificate of inspection concerning means of transport and transport documents shall be included in the certificate of inspection within maximum 10 days from the issuance of the certificate and, in any case, before endorsement of the certificate of inspection by the relevant Member State’s competent authorities.]

However, for processed products, if the control authority or control body issuing the certificate of inspection is a control authority or control body listed in [F20 the Article 7 list], it shall only issue the certificate of inspection and sign the declaration in box 18 of the certificate after it has verified that all organic ingredients of the product have been controlled and certified by a control authority or control body recognised by the third country concerned listed in [F21 the Article 7 list], or if the issuing control authority or control body is a control authority or control body listed in [F22 the Article 10 list], it shall only issue the certificate of inspection and sign the declaration in box 18 of the certificate after it has verified that all organic ingredients of such products have been controlled and certified by a control authority or control body listed in [F23 the Article 7 list or the Article 10 list] or have been produced and certified in [F24 Great Britain] in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 834/2007.

Where the operator carrying out the last operation for the purposes of preparation is different from the producer or processor of the product, the control authority or control body issuing the certificate of inspection and listed in [F25 the Article 10 list] shall only issue the certificate of inspection and sign the declaration in box 18 of the certificate after it has carried out a documentary check on the basis of all relevant inspection documents, including transport documents and commercial documents, it has verified that the production or the processing of the product concerned has been controlled and certified by a control body or control authority recognised for the products concerned and the country concerned in accordance with Article 33(3) of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 and it has carried out, as appropriate according to its risk assessment, a physical check of the consignment.

At the request of the [F26 Secretary of State], the control authority or control body issuing the certificate of inspection in accordance with the second and third subparagraphs shall make available without delay the list of all operators in the organic production chain and the control authorities or control bodies under whose control those operators have placed their operations.

5. The certificate of inspection shall be made in one single original.

The first consignee or, where relevant, the importer may make a copy of the certificate of inspection for the purpose of informing the control authorities and control bodies in accordance with Article 83 of Regulation (EC) No 889/2008. Any such copy shall carry the indication ‘COPY’ printed or stamped thereon.

6. At the verification of a consignment, the F27 ... competent authority shall endorse the original certificate of inspection in box 20 and shall return it to the person who submitted the certificate.

7. The first consignee shall, at the reception of the consignment, complete box 21 of the certificate of inspection, to certify that the reception of the consignment has been carried out in accordance with Article 34 of Regulation (EC) No 889/2008.

The first consignee shall then send the original of the certificate to the importer mentioned in box 11 of the certificate for the purposes of the second subparagraph of Article 33(1) of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007.

F28 8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F28 9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F28 10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]

Textual Amendments

F1 Substituted by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1842 of 14 October 2016 amending Regulation (EC) No 1235/2008 as regards the electronic certificate of inspection for imported organic products and certain other elements, and Regulation (EC) No 889/2008 as regards the requirements for preserved or processed organic products and the transmission of information (Text with EEA relevance).

F2 Words in Art. 13(1) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Organic Production (Control of Imports) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/692), regs. 1(2), 4(13)(a) (as substituted by S.I. 2020/1452, regs. 1(2)(b), 5(4)(f)(i)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F3 Words in Art. 13(1)(a) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Organic Production (Control of Imports) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/692), regs. 1(2), 4(13)(a)(ii); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F4 Words in Art. 13(1)(b) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Organic Production (Control of Imports) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/692), regs. 1(2), 4(13)(a)(ii); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F5 Words in Art. 13(1)(c) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Organic Production (Control of Imports) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/692), regs. 1(2), 4(13)(a)(iii); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F6 Words in Art. 13(1) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Organic Production (Control of Imports) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/692), regs. 1(2), 4(13)(a)(iv); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F7 Words in Art. 13(1) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Organic Production (Control of Imports) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/692), regs. 1(2), 4(13)(a)(v); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F8 Words in Art. 13 inserted (31.12.2020) by The Organic Production (Control of Imports) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/692), regs. 1(2), 4(13)(b) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1661, regs. 1(2)(b), 13(3)(a)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F9 Words in Art. 13(1) substituted (1.1.2024) by The Common Organisation of the Markets in Agricultural Products (Marketing Standards and Organic Products) (Transitional Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1246), regs. 1(2), 4(2)

F10 Substituted by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/25 of 13 January 2020 amending and correcting 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).

F11 Words in Art. 13(2) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Organic Production (Control of Imports) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/692), regs. 1(2), 4(13)(c)(i)(aa); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F12 Words in Art. 13(2) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Organic Production (Control of Imports) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/692), regs. 1(2), 4(13)(c)(i)(bb) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1452, regs. 1(2)(b), 5(4)(f)(ii)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F13 Words in Art. 13(2) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Common Organisation of the Markets in Agricultural Products (Miscellaneous Amendments) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1452), regs. 1(2)(a), 2(4); and also omitted (31.12.2020) by The Organic Production (Control of Imports) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/692), regs. 1(2), 4(13)(c)(ii) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1452, regs. 1(2)(b), 5(4)(f)(iii)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F14 Words in Art. 13(2) substituted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Organic Production (Control of Imports) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/692), regs. 1(2), 4(13)(c)(iii)(aa); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F15 Words in Art. 13(2) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Organic Production (Control of Imports) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/692), regs. 1(2), 4(13)(c)(iii)(bb); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F16 Inserted by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/479 of 1 April 2020 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).

F17 Words in Art. 13(3)(a) substituted (13.11.2021) by The Organics (Equivalence and Control Bodies Listing) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1266), regs. 1, 4(12)(a)(i)

F18 Words in Art. 13(3)(b) substituted (13.11.2021) by The Organics (Equivalence and Control Bodies Listing) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1266), regs. 1, 4(12)(a)(ii)

F19 Substituted by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/479 of 1 April 2020 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).

F20 Words in Art. 13(4) substituted (13.11.2021) by The Organics (Equivalence and Control Bodies Listing) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1266), regs. 1, 4(12)(b)(i)(aa)

F21 Words in Art. 13(4) substituted (13.11.2021) by The Organics (Equivalence and Control Bodies Listing) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1266), regs. 1, 4(12)(b)(i)(bb)

F22 Words in Art. 13(4) substituted (13.11.2021) by The Organics (Equivalence and Control Bodies Listing) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1266), regs. 1, 4(12)(b)(i)(cc)

F23 Words in Art. 13(4) substituted (13.11.2021) by The Organics (Equivalence and Control Bodies Listing) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1266), regs. 1, 4(12)(b)(i)(dd)

F24 Words in Art. 13(4) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Organic Production (Control of Imports) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/692), regs. 1(2), 4(13)(d)(i) (as substituted by S.I. 2020/1452, regs. 1(2)(b), 5(4)(f)(iv)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F25 Words in Art. 13(4) substituted (13.11.2021) by The Organics (Equivalence and Control Bodies Listing) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1266), regs. 1, 4(12)(b)(ii)

F26 Words in Art. 13(4) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Organic Production (Control of Imports) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/692), regs. 1(2), 4(13)(d)(ii); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F27 Words in Art. 13(6) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Organic Production (Control of Imports) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/692), regs. 1(2), 4(13)(e); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F28 Art. 13(8)-(10) omitted (1.9.2023) by virtue of The Organic Production (Control of Imports) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/889), regs. 1(1), 2(2)