Organic equivalency arrangements

Find organic equivalency arrangements (trade agreements) made with other countries.

On this page

• About organic equivalency arrangements
• Know the requirements
• Table 1: Import documentation requirements by country
• Organic equivalency process
• Related links

About organic equivalency arrangements

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) establishes organic equivalency arrangements after assessing and comparing a country's regulatory system, standards and procedures with our own.

If similar results and policy objectives can be achieved, the country's differing standards, regulations and procedures will be treated as equivalent. An imported product would then be certified through the foreign country's conformity assessment system to the:

• foreign standards
• terms of the equivalency arrangement (respecting variances, where applicable)

Know the requirements

Organic products imported from countries with whom Canada has established an equivalency arrangement must be certified by a body accredited by that foreign country and recognized by Canada. These products may bear the Canada Organic Logo.

All food sold in Canada, whether domestic or imported, must also comply with the:

• Food and Drugs Act and Food and Drug Regulations
• Safe Food for Canadians Act and Safe Food for Canadians Regulations

Table 1: Import documentation requirements by country

Organic equivalency process

Equivalency is determined by assessing and comparing 2 regulatory systems, including the standards, to determine whether the principles and outcomes achieved are equivalent. Elements that are assessed include:

• regulations
• accreditation criteria
• certification criteria
• standards
• monitoring and enforcement activities

Advice and input are then sought from industry on the significance of found variations. Each government takes this input into consideration while determining if the foreign organic regime can be deemed equivalent.

Should either government identify a critical variance that cannot be resolved, it will become an exception. An import-export arrangement that contains exceptions would partially deem the foreign country's conformity assessment and standards as equivalent to the domestic requirements. If the foreign country's conformity assessment system and standards are deemed only partially equivalent, then the exceptions would be outlined in the arrangement and certification would need to meet the requirements of the arrangement.

For more information about the organic equivalency process, see:

• Procedure for organic equivalency determination and on-going monitoring of the existing arrangements
• Peer review procedure related to the Canada Organic Regime (COR)

Related links