Defra is pleased to confirm that a GB Certificate of Inspection (COI) will not be required on certified organic produce entering GB from the EU and certain other countries from 1 January 2021. These will be required later in 2021. Please see the detail below:
- All imports from third countries, except from the EU, EEA and Switzerland, must be accompanied by a GB Certificate of Inspection (CoI) from 1 January 2021.
- We are implementing this phased approach to endorsing EU COIs to reduce unnecessary barriers to trade.
- By 1 July 2021, all EU organic exporters must be certified by a control body and the control body must issue the COI for export to GB.
This is a significant change and we decided to waive this requirement to reduce the risk of delays at the ports and resultant spoiled food. This decision is in line with a number of other phased approaches designed to simplify import procedures in the short term.
Defra Announcement (7.12.2020)