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Third Country Organic Operator Certificate – User Guide

The Organic Operator Certificate for Third Countries is reserved to users that possess a role in a non- EU Compliance* Control Body.

After having entered TRACES, from the main menu select ‘Documents’ and then ‘Organic Operator Certificate’.

Part I – Mandatory Elements

Note

The greyed-out boxes shall be automatically filled up upon issuance of the Certificate.

The mandatory boxes are noticeable by the red asterisk (*) next to them

I.2 - Operator type

Select between the options:

  • Operator

  • Group of operators (when this option is chosen, box I.10 becomes visible and mandatory)

+ option ‘Exporter’.

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I.3 - Operator or group of operators

In this field you will specify the operator for which the operator/group of operators receive the certificate.

You can either choose a pre-existing operator

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or create a new operator via this field.

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I.4 - Control authority/Control body

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In case your user profile is linked to only one Control Body code, this box will be automatically filled with your role.

However, if you possess more than one roles you will need to manually choose the correct one.

I.5 - Activity or activities of the operator, group of operator, or exporter.

Amidst the options select the one you wish to certify the operator for.

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I.6 - Category or categories of products as referred to in Article 35 (7) of Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council and production methods.

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In this box you will need to select the categories of products and their production method linked to the activities chosen in 1.5.

I.7 - Directory of products

Choose the name of the product (free text box) , the CN code as well as Organic/in conversion. (Manually)

or

Upload from excel using the ‘Upload’ button.

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I.8 - Date, place

This field will automatically be filled with the credentials of the signing authority.

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I.9 - Validity

Choose the validity range of the operator/Group of operators.

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I.10 - List of members of the group of operators as defined in Article 36 of Regulation (EU) 2018/848

When selecting Group of operators in field I.2. Field I.10 become active and mandatory;

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In this field, you can list the of member of the group of operators manually, or upload via excel.

Part II - Specific Optional Elements

  1. Quantity of products

    When choosing to use this field, please keep in mind that it will have to filled out throughout and cannot be filled partially.

    Rows of products can be added via the + add button or be directly imported from part I.

  2. Information on the land

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    When choosing to use this field, please keep in mind that it will have to filled out throughout and cannot be filled partially.

  3. List of premises or units where the activity is performed by the operator or group of operators.

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  4. Information on the activity or activities carried out by the operator or group of operators and whether the activity is, or the activities are performed for their own purpose or as a subcontractor carrying out the activity or activities for another operator, while the subcontractor remains responsible for the activity or activities performed

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  5. Information on the activity or activities carried out by the subcontracted third party

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  6. List of subcontractors carrying out an activity or activities for the operator or group of operators for which the operator or group of operators remains responsible as regards organic production and for which it has not transferred that responsibility to the subcontractor

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    The subcontractor can be an operator with any type of activities in the certified country.

  7. Information on the accreditation of the control body in accordance with point (d) of Article 46(2) of Regulation (EU) 2018/848.

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  8. Other information.

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Available Functions

Issue and DRAFT

Once the Organic Operator Certificate has been completed, on the bottom right corner you have the option to either save the certificate as DRAFT so that it can be issued afterwards or directly Issue the certificate.

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Once saved as DRAFT the status of the Certificate becomes DRAFT the option to preview the PDF and/or delete the DRAFT become available.

Once the certificate is ready to be issued, click on the green button ‘Issue’ and the following pop-up will appear , which when clicked, you will be first asked to select a language of issuance and then redirect you to the PDF version where the Digital stamp can be applied:

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then

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then

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The status becomes ‘Issued’.

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Suspend, Reissue and Withdraw

In an Issued Certificate, from the button more on the bottom right corner of the page you have the option to ‘Suspend’, ‘Withdraw’ or ‘Reissue’ the Organic Operator certificate.

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Suspend

By clicking on Suspend the Certificate becomes ‘Suspended’ and can be reinstated by the button more on the bottom right corner of the page.

Reissue

By clicking on this button the certificate become ‘Unsaved’ and boxes I.2, I.5, i.6, I.7, I.9 and I.9 become editable.

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Using this function, you can correct erroneous information on the OOC and/or extend validity dates When Reissuing a Certificate a link appears in Part 1 in the field ‘Links’ of both certificates , linking

Withdraw

When clicking on the option ‘Withdraw’, a pop-up message will appear requesting to confirm the action as it cannot be reversed.

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Once you click on ‘Proceed’ the status becomes ‘ Withdrawn’ and no more actions are possible

Please also note that if the affiliated operator did not posses any other activities aside the ones obtained through the OOC, will be deleted upon withdrawal. ( Please note this can be undone).

In this section: