The EU's equivalence regime for organic imports expires 31 December 2026. Here's what changes from "equivalence" to "compliance" under Regulation (EU) 2018/848, why certification costs are projected to rise 50–200%, and what every African organic cooperative must do now.
<p class="lead"><strong>On 31 December 2026 the EU's equivalence regime for organic imports from third countries expires.</strong> Every African certified-organic exporter — from a Burkinabé shea cooperative to a Yirgacheffe coffee union — must transition to <strong>full compliance under Regulation (EU) 2018/848</strong>. That means meeting the exact same production standards as EU organic farmers, audited by EU-recognised control bodies. Fairtrade International estimates the transition will increase certification costs by <strong>50–200% for smallholder cooperatives</strong>. This guide explains exactly what changes, what each African producer must do, and how the new Fairtrade organic premiums shift the economics in your favour.</p> <h2>The headline change: equivalence → compliance</h2> <p>Until 31 December 2024, the EU recognised organic certifications from many third countries as "equivalent" — meaning your country's organic rules just had to be <em>broadly similar</em> to EU rules. From <strong>1 January 2025</strong> the EU moved to a <strong>compliance</strong> model: imported organic products must meet <em>exactly the same</em> production rules as EU organic farmers, certi