WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/LIC/Q/EEC/2
5 February 2003
(03-0735)
Committee on Import Licensing Original:  English
NOTIFICATION OF REPLIES TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE ON IMPORT
LICENSING PROCEDURES FROM THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Reply of the EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES to the question from the UNITED STATES1
The following communication, dated 8 November 2002, has been received from the
Permanent Delegation of the European Communities.
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Question:  It is our understanding that the European Communities require organic fruit and vegetable
importers to obtain an import authorization prior to import.  If this is correct, why was this measure
not included in G/LI C/N/3/EEC/4, Annex 1?
Reply:  The EC understands that the US refers to the "certificate of inspection for organic imports"
required according to Commission Regulation No. 1788/20012. This Regulation, which merely
implements Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/913, aims to improve and to complete the inspection
of imported agricultural products or foodstuffs  from organic production. These products, in order to
be marketed with the organic label, must have been produced under equivalent  production rules and
equivalent  inspection arrangements as those applied to products produced within the EC itself.  The
equivalency is assessed either by the Commission (procedure of Article 11(1) of Regulation (EEC)
No. 2092/91) or bilaterally by the Member States (procedure of Article 11(6) of Regulation (EEC)No. 2092/91, currently applied to most of the third countries).  Regulation (EC) No. 1788/01
introduces the same certificate for all imports from third countries, whether they are undertaken under
the procedure of Article 11(1) or 11(6) of the C ouncil Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91.  The certificate
shall apply from 1 November 2002.
Regulation (EC) No. 1788/01 was notified to the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
as provided for in the TBT Agreement
4.
This certificate of inspection for organic imports falls outside the scope of the Agreement on
Import Licensing Procedures, as the certificate is not an "import licences regime".  Therefore themeasure was not notified to the Committee on Import Licensing
5.
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1 G/LIC/Q/EEC/1;  G/LIC/4.
2 Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1788/2001 of 7 September 2001 laying down detailed rules for
implementing the provisions concerning the certificate of inspection for imports from third countries under
Article 11 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 202/91.
3 Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91 of 24 June 1991 on organic production of agricultural
products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs.
4 Notification G/TBT/N/EEC/2 of 6 February 2001.
5 Annex 1 of notification G/LIC/N/3/EEC/4 of 17 October 2001.