Report Feasibility study organic bitter tea Cao Bang - Helvetas

Feasibility Study Organic Bitter Tea in Cao Bang: 2007
maximum limits, exporters are required to obtain an import tolerance. It should be noted
that the EU continues to lower the maximum limits of pesticide residues permitted in
products (FAO, 2007).
In Japan, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the Environmental Department
are responsible for establishing and testing residue limits. These limits are based on the
Food Sanitation Law (FAO, 2007).
5.1.2. Product traceability
In response to recent problems about food safety (e.g. mad cow disease) and global
terrorism, many governments are increasing control over all stages of food production,
processing and distribution to protect consumers against the biological, chemical and
environmental contamination of food. Traceability (product tracing) is the ability to follow
the movement of food through specified stages of production, processing and distribution.
They also enable efficient recall in case of the products' contamination. Furthermore, they
help determine the origin of a food safety problem, comply with legal requirements and
meet consumers' expectations for the safety and quality of purchased products (FAO,
2007).
The EU regulations on traceability entered into force in January 2005. In order to comply
with these rules, it is important that EU importers identify the origin of products. As a
consequence, the latter could require exporters to comply with traceability requirements
even if the exporter in trading partner countries are not legally required to fulfil the
traceability requirement imposed within the EU. No traceability requirements for exporters
exist in Japan yet (FAO, 2007).
5.2. Organic regulation and procedures
5.2.1. EU organic regulations and procedures
In 1991 the EU passed a regulation about organic farming. This regulation EEC Regulation
2092/91 contains the legal provisions regarding farming, labelling and monitoring of
organic farming for the whole European Community. The Regulation provides the basic
standard for organic plant and livestock production and, at the same time creates specific
requirements regarding farming, processing and importation from third countries. All farms
and processing units are submitted, at least once a year, to a programmed inspection. As
well, unannounced random inspections are carried out. The costs of inspection and
certification are to be paid by the company requesting the service.
A European logo for organic products exists since February 2000.
However, the use of this label is not mandatory and for now is still not
commonly used.
If an operator in a country outside the EU wants to export organic
products to the EU, then a certification body (CB) must perform on-site inspections. In the
case of Vietnam, where local organic certification bodies do not exist, an international
certifier has to be selected. This could either be one based in Europe or one with a branch
office in Vietnam. Currently, there is only one CB with an office in Vietnam, while several
other CBs use local or regional inspectors.
The EU does not have specific environmental or "low pesticide" food labels and
regulations (although some regulations exist at the national level of the individual EU
- 17 -