Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
the international trade of organic products as a result of lack of coordination between govern-
mental authorities in terms of processes of mutual recognition and equivalency. The picture is
further complicated by the lack of integration between the private regulatory framework
operated by the IOAS and IFOAM, and the many national or regional governmental regulatory
regimes.
Organic standards and standards setting processes
As of 2003, of the 364 bodies identified by a survey of the newsletter
The
Organic
Standard
that
offered organic certification, 65 stated that they had developed their own standards (Commins
2003). In the same year, 60 countries were involved in developing organic regulations includ-
ing 37 countries that had fully implemented regulations for organic agriculture (15 EU coun-
tries; 11 in the rest of Europe - Cyprus, Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Lithuania, Norway,
Poland, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey; seven in the Asia-Pacific - Australia,
India, Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand; Argentina; and Costa Rica, the USA,
Tunisia) with an additional eight countries with final regulations approved but without full
implementation (i.e. had certification mechanisms in place: Croatia, Estonia, Malaysia, Brazil,
Chile, Guatemala, Mexico, Egypt) and a further 15 countries in the process of drafting regula-
tions (Albania, Georgia, Romania, Yugoslavia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Canada, Nicara-
gua, Peru, St Lucia, Madagascar, South Africa, Israel, Lebanon) (Commins 2003). When
adding the two international standards to these figures, the
IFOAM
Basic
Standards
(IBS) and
the Codex Guidelines, one begins to have an idea of the complexities involved in defining the
meaning of organic agriculture.
In examining the organic standards internationally, it is useful to take a chronological
approach, as more recent standards and regulations are generally heavily inf luenced by earlier
ones. As was mentioned above, the first wave of standards setting was undertaken by farmers'
associations, the first of which was published by the Soil Association in the United Kingdom
(UK) in 1967 (Commins 2003). These were key references for the initial development of IBS
that were in turn inf luential in the drafting of European Union (EU) EEC Regulation 2092/91
in 2001 (Commins 2003). Codex Guidelines as well as most other organic regulations were
then heavily inf luenced by the European regulation, partly because the importance of the EU
market and because other governments were eager to facilitate trade with the EU. As the biggest
markets for organic products are in Europe, the USA and Japan, most other governments have
developed systems to ensure compliance or equivalence with their regulations.
As was mentioned above, IFOAM first published its
Basic
Standards
in 1980 as a way to har-
monise the meaning of organic across an increasingly globalised movement. The IBS have now
been translated into 20 languages (IFOAM 2004). The IBS are revised periodically by its mem-
bership that includes about 700 organisations in over 100 countries, representing producers,
producer organisations, non-governmental organisations, traders, retailers, consumers and
researchers, among others. Any organisation with a primary interest in organic agriculture
can become a member with full voting rights; those with some degree of interest and activities
can become associates. Up until 2002, IBS were revised at the General Assembly, the federa-
tions' highest decision-making body. However, at that time, it was decided to separate stand-
ards revision processes from the General Assembly to allow more time for discussion on
strategic directions for the movement, and to improve access to standards participation
through electronic and postal means by members who would not be able to travel to attend the
General Assembly. A norms management committee oversees the work of standards commit-
tee and the committee responsible for the revision of IFOAM Accreditation criteria. To support
this work and ensure transparent processes, IFOAM has developed policies for the revision of
