Importing & Exporting Organic Products Between the U.S. and U.K.

What To Know About Importing & Exporting Organic Products Between the United Kingdom.

Summary: Great Britain is covered under the U.S.—U.K. organic equivalency arrangement. Great Britain is covered under the U.S.–UK EU organic equivalency arrangement which includes Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales) and Northern Ireland.

Importing Organic Products from the U.K. to the U.S.

The United States and United Kingdom (UK) equivalency arrangement includes Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales) and Northern Ireland. International Trade Policies: United Kingdom.

Key import requirements:

• Limited to country-to-country trade
• Products must be certified under the UK organic program
• Have been produced or had their final processing occur in the UK
• A NOP Import Certificate is required for all shipments entering the U.S.
• Products must meet USDA organic labeling requirements.
• Labels or stickers on retail products:
  • Must state, “Certified Organic” by a UK-authorized certifying agent.
  • May display the USDA Organic seal.
  • Bulk (non-retail) products must display identification of the product as organic and the production lot number.

Exporting Organic Products from the U.S. to U.K.

Exporting organic products to Great Britain

As of January 1, 2021, all organic products exported to Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales) must be accompanied by a Certificate of Inspection (COI), called a GB COI, issued before the products leave the U.S..

 
TRACES (the EU’s online certification system) is no longer valid for shipments to Great Britain. OTCO will email the signed/issued COI to their U.S. client (or the exporter), who can then forward the COI to the UK importer. It is the responsibility of the UK Importer to upload the COI into PHILIS DES (the Port Health Interactive Live Information System Document Entry System).

Exporting organic products to Northern Ireland

All organic products exported to Northern Ireland require an electronic Certificate of Inspection (EU COI) through the European Union’s Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) issued before the product leaves the U.S.

Export requirements to the U.K.:

• The product must be USDA NOP certified and fall within the scope of the U.S.–UKEU equivalency arrangement.
• Labeling must meet U.K.’s organic labeling laws. 
• Refer to the OTCO Guide to International Trade

📄 Forms & Documents for Importing and Export can be found on our Transaction Certificates page.