Canada - Costa Rica organic equivalency recognition - Guidance document for Canadian importers and exporters

Requirements for Canadian organic agricultural products for export to Costa Rica

On March 28, 2013, the Government of Canada entered into an agreement on the trade of organic products with Costa Rica.

Pursuant the national legislation of Costa Rica, the National Phytosanitary Service (SFE) has determined that the Canadian organic agricultural products which are:

1. produced and certified in Canada;
2. in conformity with the Organic Products Regulations, 2009 (OPR 2009) and;
3. certified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) accredited Certification Body under the Canada Organic Regime;

deemed to have been produced and certified in accordance to Costa Rica's national law governing the organic agriculture regime.

Organic products exported from Canada for import to Costa Rica under this recognition may bear the Canada Organic Logo and/or Costa Rica's organic seal as spelled out in the letter of recognition of equivalence.

Organic products must be accompanied by an organic certificate issued by CFIA accredited Certification Body.

All organic products imported in to Costa Rica must meet Costa Rica's food safety and labelling requirements.

Requirements for Costa Rica organic agricultural products for export to Canada

Pursuant to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act and the Canada Agricultural Products Act, the CFIA has determined that the agricultural products of plant origin which are:

1. produced and processed in Costa Rica;
2. in conformity with the National Organic Production Regulations of Costa Rica and;
3. produced and processed under an organic certification program that provides safeguards and guidelines governing the production and processing of such products;

deemed equivalent to those products that have been produced and processed in accordance with the Canadian Organic Products Regulations, 2009 (OPR, 2009)

Organic products exported from Costa Rica for import to Canada under this recognition may bear the Canada Organic Logo and/or Costa Rica's organic seal as spelled out in the letter of recognition of equivalence.

Organic products must be accompanied by an organic certificate issued by Costa Rican accredited Certification Body. The list of the certification bodies is available via the Costa Rica competent authority web page.

Organic products imported into Canada must meet Canadian food safety and labelling requirements.