how can we help you?
Contact us at the A CERT office nearest to you or submit a business inquiry online.
Having values, we offer strictly professional services and through the recognition and reputation of the A CERT, our associated companies and structures and strategic collaborators, we add value to the products, services, institutes and organizations giving them a competitive advantage and making them capable of achieving a dominant position in national and international level.
how can we help you?
Contact us at the A CERT office nearest to you or submit a business inquiry online.
Having values, we offer strictly professional services and through the recognition and reputation of the A CERT, our associated companies and structures and strategic collaborators, we add value to the products, services, institutes and organizations giving them a competitive advantage and making them capable of achieving a dominant position in national and international level.
Complaints
A CERT Complaints Procedure is a critical mechanism designed to uphold the integrity and trust in the certification process by addressing concerns and grievances related to the operations of certified entities or the conduct of the certification body itself. This procedure provides a clear and structured pathway for stakeholders, including producers, consumers, and other interested parties, to voice their complaints in a formal and constructive manner.
Key elements of A CERT Complaints Procedure include among others:
Submission of Complaints: Complaints must be submitted in writing, detailing the specific issue, the parties involved, and any relevant evidence. This documentation helps in accurately assessing the situation.
Acknowledgment and Assessment: Upon receiving a complaint, A CERT promptly acknowledges receipt and begins an initial assessment to determine the validity of the complaint and identify the appropriate measures needed to address it.
Investigation: If the complaint is deemed valid, a thorough investigation is conducted. This process is handled by personnel not involved in the subject of the complaint to maintain impartiality.
Resolution and Feedback: After the investigation, A CERT takes appropriate actions to resolve the complaint. The complainant is informed of the outcome and the steps taken to address the issue.
Confidentiality: Throughout the process, the confidentiality of all parties is maintained to protect their privacy and ensure a fair investigation.
Record Keeping and Review: All complaints and their resolutions are recorded and reviewed periodically. This review helps to identify any systemic issues or trends and contributes to the continuous improvement of the certification process.
A CERT Complaints Procedure reinforces the organization’s commitment to transparency and accountability, ensuring that all stakeholders can trust the certification process and its outcomes.
Applications Documents
Council Regulation
This regulation establishes the legal framework for all levels of production, distribution, control and labeling of organic products which may be offered and traded in the EU. It determines the continued development of organic production through the provision of clearly defined goals and principles. General production, control and labeling guidelines were established by the Council Regulation and can therefore only be changed by the European Council of Agricultural Ministers. The previous Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91 is simultaneously repealed.
The new labeling regulations in connection with the obligatory use of the EU organic logo were postponed until 1 July 2010 by an amendment to the Council Regulation.
Area of applicability
The Council Regulation applies to the following agricultural products, including aquaculture and yeast:
- Living or unprocessed products
- Processed foods
- Animal feed
- Seeds and propagating material
Collection of wild plants and seaweed is also included in the scope of this Regulation
Not included in its scope:
- Products from hunting and fishing of wild animals.
Commission Regulations
The following Commission Regulations have been adopted thus far:
- Commission Regulation (EC) No. 889/2008 of 5 September 2008 with detailed rules on production, labeling and control including its amendment on production rules
- for organic yeast, Commission Regulation (EC) 1254/2008 of 15 December 2008
- for organic aquaculture animal and seaweed production, Commission Regulation(EC) No 710/2009 of 5 August 2009
- Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1235/2008 of 8 December 2008 with detailed rules concerning import of organic products from third countries
In Commission Regulation (EC) No. 889/2008 all levels of plant and animal production are regulated, from the cultivation of land and keeping of animals to the processing and distribution of organic foods and their control. They go into great technical detail and are, for the most part, an extension of the original organic Regulation, except where this was regulated differently in the Council Regulation.
Multiple Annexes are attached to the Commission Regulation. Within these one can find the following:
- Products permitted in organic farming, such as fertilisers, soil ameliorants and pesticides
- Minimum requirements on the size of housing and exercise areas including pastures for organic livestock, depending on animal species and development stage.
- Non-organic animal feed, feed additives and processing aids for the production of compound feed and premixtures permitted in organic farming.
- Non-organic ingredients, additives and processing aids permitted in organic food production (including yeast production).
- Requirements on the Community logo.
These Annexes and other parts of this Commission Regulation can be supplemented by the Commission so as to keep them up to date in regard to continuing developments in technology, science and the organic market.
In order to facilitate the implementation of the new rules and to incorporate some expiring exemptions of the previous organic Regulation, transitional measures were laid down.
In addition to EU legislation on organic farming and organic production, organically operating farmers and processors must also adhere to generally applicable rules on agricultural production and processing of agricultural products. That means that all generally applicable rules on the regulation of the production, processing, marketing, labeling and control of agricultural products also apply to organic foods.
