What is IROCB?

IROCB is a set of performance requirements for organic certification. It is a normative document based on the requirements of ISO Guide 65 and adapted for the organic sector. In IROCB, some requirements of ISO 65 are restated in an organic-sector context; and additional requirements common to government organic regulations and private organic guarantee systems are included. The level of detail and style of IROCB is tailored to serve its main purpose.

What is the main purpose of IROCB?

The main purpose of IROCB is to serve as a reference document for recognizing certification bodies and accepting their certification process for organic products. It is a tool for government regulators and private certification and accreditation bodies to use for accepting certification of products outside of their own system. It can be envisioned as a “common denominator” that reconciles the differences among various organic certification program requirements and facilitates their equivalence.

How would a government use IROCB?

A government authority would use it for approving imports of organic products that are produced and certified outside of its jurisdiction. In order to approve imports, the government would normally decide if the standards for production and processing under which the imported products are produced, and if the requirements under which the certification is conducted, are sufficiently similar (equivalent) to its own standards and requirements for domestic organic production and certification. The IROCB assists governments with this determination for certification program requirements.

In the case of certification program requirements, the government would accept that the requirements in IROCB are equivalent to its own and that they are a reasonable common denominator for the purpose of imports. When a certification body asks a government to recognize it and approve its certification for organic imports, the government would determine (either directly or by relying on other expert evaluation) if the program requirements under which the certification body operates comply with the IROCB. If yes, then the certification body would be recognized by the government.

Why would a government want to use IROCB?

IROCB can enable the governments of importing countries to streamline their process for approving imports. Using IROCB can be more efficient, transparent and equitable than mechanisms currently used for recognizing foreign certifications. IROCB can be directly incorporated into new regulations for organic imports. It can also serve in established regulatory programs as a tool to streamline the current decision process on imports. By using IROCB, governments can make it easier for their organic manufacturers and traders to conduct business and for their consumers to have access to organic products. Governments using IROCB to facilitate imports of organic products can feel satisfied that they fulfill the World Trade Organization (WTO) provisions on reducing trade barriers via equivalence. If many governments reference IROCB rather than requiring compliance with their country-specific certification requirements, equivalence will prevail and organic trade barriers will be greatly reduced.

How would IROCB be used in the private sector?

Some organic certification bodies operate private sector organic labeling programs that are supported by consumer demand for their private certification mark. The private labeling systems must deal with clients (manufacturers and other traders) who want to source organic ingredients and products certified by other certification bodies. These private certification programs need a method to ensure that the organic certification process for their clients’ purchased ingredients and products is sufficiently competent to provide trust. These private programs can also use IROCB as their reference to verify (either directly or via another expert evaluation) that certification of their clients’ purchased ingredients and products is conducted under requirements that are sufficient to provide trust in the certification.

Private accreditation requirements, such as the IFOAM Accreditation Criteria, could also reference IROCB as an option for certification bodies to approve ingredients and products purchased by their clients.

Using IROCB can enable private certification and accreditation programs to increase efficiency and improve client services in their certification and accreditation processes; and therefore it can create more access to private sector certification, labeling, and accreditation programs.

Are there any other uses or benefits of IROCB?

The IROCB can serve as a norm used directly for accreditation. The ITF believes that if IROCB is widely adopted for recognition of organic certification bodies and/or as a basis for organic accreditation it will, in the long term, influence the convergence of the various organic certification requirements worldwide.

What assurances are given that IROCB is the “right” tool to use?

The ITF developed IROCB in a broad international consultation process that reached out to organic certification bodies, international accreditation programs, governments, intergovernmental organizations and other stakeholders. Four drafts of IROCB were developed and consulted prior to the final version, which is approved by the ITF. The result is a set of requirements that are generally agreed as providing confidence in certification for organic products that are traded internationally. Visit the ITF website for detailed information on the development of IROCB.

How are copies of IROCB obtained and questions about IROCB answered?

IFOAM, which has served as the Secretariat for the ITF, is providing ongoing services related to IROCB. To obtain either electronic or printed versions of IROCB, go either to the ITF website or to the bookstore on the IFOAM website, www.ifoam.org. Other services related to IROCB, including questions and comments, will also be handled by IFOAM.