How do you define your activities in the context of organic certification in Belgium?

FoodChain ID provides third-party, global certification for organic standards, including the USDA National Organic Program, EU Organic and other worldwide organic certifications through Bioagricert, a FoodChain ID company.

Legislation defines different types of operator. It is important to clearly define the operations you carry out on or with organically-farmed products. It is common for an operator to combine several types of activity. If you need help to complete the steps towards organic certification for Belgium, FoodChain ID Certification is at your side.

• A producer: an individual, legal entity or association that grows, harvests and markets plant and animal products.
• A processor: a processor who buys and processes agricultural ingredients and markets them as a finished or semi-finished product.
• Repacker: a processor who buys products, changes the packaging or label and sells the repackaged and relabelled products.
• A distributor: an operator who buys products and resells them without modifying the product, labelling or packaging. This is a B-to-B operation only. Products may be loose or pre-packaged.
• A seller (retailer/point of sale): an operator who sells products directly to the consumer or end user.
  • In the Walloon Region and Brussels, an exemption from inspection is granted:
    • points of sale of pre-packaged products, provided that the operator in question does not produce, prepare or store products other than in connection with his point of sale, does not import organic products or products in conversion to organic farming from a third country, does not subcontract these activities to a third party and does not export products produced in accordance with the production rules laid down in the Regulations. This exemption must be requested from the competent authority.
• An exporter: an operator who exports outside the customs territory of the European Community.
• An importer: a natural or legal person in the Community who presents a consignment for release for free circulation in the European Community, either in person or through a representative.
• A HoReCa establishment or community kitchen: an operator who prepares and sells organic products to the final consumer in restaurants, hospitals, canteens and similar food businesses at the point of sale or supply to the final consumer.