EU Organic Import Rules 2025: From Equivalence to Compliance

On 1 January 2025, the European Union made a fundamental change to how organic products are imported from non-EU countries. The previous system of equivalence – where third-country organic standards only had to be broadly similar to EU rules – has been replaced by a system of full compliance under Regulation (EU) 2018/848.

What Is the Equivalence-to-Compliance Shift?

Under the old equivalence model, countries like India, Turkey, and Argentina could export organic products to the EU as long as their national organic rules were considered “equivalent” to EU standards. This allowed for some flexibility in production methods.

Under the new compliance model, all organic products imported into the EU must meet exactly the same production standards as those applied to EU organic farmers. This means:

• Strict bans on synthetic pesticides and fertilisers apply identically to third-country producers
• Animal welfare provisions (where applicable) must conform to EU standards
• Crop rotation, soil fertility rules, and input restrictions are now identical
• Certification bodies in third countries must apply EU rules, not local equivalents

Impact on Producer Groups

One of the most significant changes affects groups of operators (producer groups), which are common among smallholder farmers in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Under Regulation 2018/848:

• Groups are limited to a maximum of 2,000 farmers
• Each farmer may cultivate no more than 5 hectares
• Maximum annual turnover per group is capped at €25,000
• At least 5% of group members must be re-inspected annually by certifying agencies

These restrictions have caused substantial restructuring among producer cooperatives, particularly in India, the largest supplier of organic products to the EU.

Cost Impact

According to Fairtrade International, the transition from equivalence to compliance is expected to increase certification costs by 50% to over 200% for some producer groups. Small-scale farmers who cannot absorb these costs may lose access to the premium organic market entirely.

What Importers Should Do

1. Verify certification: Ensure all third-country suppliers hold valid EU organic certification under the new compliance system (not the old equivalence system)
2. Check producer group structure: Confirm supplier cooperatives comply with the new size and turnover caps
3. Review labelling: Origin labelling rules for organic products have been tightened – use “EU Agriculture” only if 100% of ingredients are EU-sourced
4. Monitor transition deadlines: The European Commission has proposed extending the deadline for transforming existing equivalency arrangements from December 2026 to December 2036

Questions about organic certification for our products? Contact us.