To import organic products into the EU you need an electronic certificate of inspection (COI) issued in the EU TRACES system, plus the usual commercial and plant health documents. Without a valid COI the goods cannot be released as organic, even if every bag says organic.
The COI must be issued before the goods leave the control of the exporting country's certification body, and it must match the shipment exactly.
The documents you need
You need two sets of papers: the organic documents, and the normal commercial and shipping pack.
- The exporter's organic certificate, valid for the product and the processing steps involved.
- The certificate of inspection (COI) in TRACES, issued by the exporter's control body and endorsed on arrival by the EU member state authority.
- In India, the transaction certificate or equivalent record generated through APEDA's TraceNet system for NPOP products.
- Your own registration as an organic operator in the EU, and your TRACES access.
- Lab results showing residue testing, which many importers and control bodies expect.
- Commercial invoice and packing list naming the product as organic.
- Bill of lading with container and seal numbers.
- Phytosanitary certificate where needed for the product.
- Certificate of origin if your broker or a duty preference needs it.
- Certificate of analysis for the lot.
Points that stop shipments
The EU applies Regulation (EU) 2018/848 to organic production and imports. Under that framework, the scope of recognition for Indian certification has narrowed, and some Indian control bodies have faced EU action. The current position is set out in whether NPOP is accepted in the EU and US. Confirm the current scope for your product with your own EU control body before you buy.
- The supplier's certificate does not cover the product, the processing or the exporting entity.
- Quantities or lot numbers on the COI differ from the invoice or bags.
- Residues are found on arrival, which can lead to the organic status being blocked.
- The COI was issued by a control body that is not recognised for that product.
Steps before you ship
The TRACES side is explained in what a TRACES certificate is.
- Ask for the organic certificate and check it on the certification body's or APEDA's public records.
- Agree in writing who requests the COI and when.
- Test the lot for residues before loading, at an accredited lab.
- Check the COI draft in TRACES against the documents before departure.
Who is responsible for what
In practice, the supplier and its control body handle the COI in TRACES, and you handle your own registration and the arrival checks in the EU. Your EU control body also inspects your records. Agree in writing which documents the supplier provides, by when, and what happens if the COI is late or refused. A lot that loses organic status on arrival is usually worth much less, so make the supplier carry that risk where the fault lies with them.
How we help
We verify the supplier's organic scope, test lots for residues at an NABL-accredited lab and check the COI details against the loaded container. Start with a free sourcing review.