Organic Farming in Europe and the European Union

The International Task Force on Harmonisation and Equivalence ITF is a joint initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization FAO of the United Nations, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture MovementsIFOAM and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNCTAD. The ITF has worked since 2003 to remove technical barriers to trade in organic agricultural products that result from the lack of harmonization and interoperability of organic regulations, private standards, and certification requirements.

This partnership between the private organic community and the United Nations offers a forum for public and private discussions, and aims to initiate the development of a constructive and effective partnership between the private and the public sector.

In October 2008 the two developed ITF Tools, the International Requirements for Organic Certification Bodies IROCB and the Tool for Equivalence of Organic Standards and Technical Regulations (EquiTool) were finalized.

Links

International Task Force on Harmonization and Equivalence in Organic Agriculture ITF
Meetings of the ITF (with links to documents)
Tool for Equivalence of Organic Standards and Technical Regulations (EquiTool)
International Requirements for Organic Certification Bodies IROCB
Summary Report International Task Force on Harmonization and Equivalence in Organic Agriculture 2003-2008

Contact

Dr. Sophia Twarog, UNCTAD, Trade, Environment & Development Branch

Publications related to ITF

Trade and Environment Review 2006 UNCTAD/DITC/TED/2005/12

The TER 2006 focuses on environmental and related health requirements and their impact on developing countries' market access. It examines both the opportunities and challenges presented by these requirements, which are increasingly stringent, complex and multi-dimensional. The Review includes both general and sectoral analyses of the issue, and looks at two sectors where environmental requirements are critical to market access: electrical and electronic equipment and organic agricultural products. The evidence presented in the Review supports recommendations for developing countries to adopt a more strategic and proactive approach to coping with environmental and related health requirements in export markets. This requires being involved from the initial stages of standards-setting, both in the context of government regulations and the increasing number of private-sector standards that apply across supply chains. A proactive approach is also needed in order to take full advantage of the trade and development opportunities generated by increased environmental and health concerns, such as expanding markets for organic products. The Review also provides an overview of recent UNCTAD technical cooperation and capacity building activities in the area of trade and environment, including: the Consultative Task Force on Environmental Requirements and Market Access for Developing Countries (CTF); the UNCTAD-FAO-IFOAM International Task Force on Harmonization and Equivalence in Organic Agriculture (ITF); the BioTrade Initiative; and the UNEP-UNCTAD Capacity-building Task Force on Trade, Environment and Development (CBTF).

Harmonization and Equivalence in Organic Agriculture, Vol. 1 UNCTAD/DITC/TED/2005/4 (PDF not available)

Harmonization and Equivalence in Organic Agriculture, Vol. 1, presents the first results of the International Task Force (ITF) on Harmonization and Equivalence in Organic Agriculture. Organized by the FAO, IFOAM, and UNCTAD, the ITF is seeking solutions to international trade challenges that have arisen as a result of the numerous public and private standards and regulations for organic products that now prevail worldwide. This volume features four background papers that describe the current situation in organic regulation and trade, and offers some models that could apply to potential solution. A Terms of Reference for the ITF and reports of the first two task force meetings are also included. (Contact: Sophia Twarog, UNCTAD)

The Organic Guarantee System. The need and strategy for harmonisation and equivalence (Adobe pdf 792 KB) ISBN 3-934-055-23-0

This book on international harmonisation and equivalence in organic agriculture, which is but one of the many outcomes from The Conference on International Harmonisation and Equivalence in Organic Agriculture organised in February 2002 by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). This publication includes many contributions from the original Conference Reader (edited by Willie Lockeretz and Gunnar Rundgren) as well as a considerable amount of new material from presentations made at the conference. It shows the wide spectrum of topics involved in the process of harmonising organic guarantee systems as well as different approaches to the subject. The result is a comprehensive publication for all stakeholders in the various fields connected with organic guarantee systems. As most articles are based on the Conference respectively the Conference Reader, it is important to note that they are updated as of February 2002. The information in this book will be drawn upon by the IFOAM/FAO/UNCTAD Task Force on Harmonisation and Equivalence in Organic Agriculture, which commenced work in February 2003. (Contact: Sophia Twarog)