The Following Notification Is Being Circulated in Accordance with Article 10.6 s32

G/TBT/N/PHL/201

9 November 2017 (17-6085) Page: 1/2 Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original: English

NOTIFICATION

The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6

1. Notifying Member: PHILIPPINES If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):

2. Agency responsible: Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above: Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards Department of Agriculture BPI Compound, Visayas Avenue Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] Telephone No.: (632) 928-8741 to 64 loc. 3301-3319; 273-2474 loc. 3318 Website: www.bafs.da.gov.ph

3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ ], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [X], 5.7.1 [ ], other:

4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): ICS: 03.120.20

5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Department Circular No. __ Series of 2017 Subject: Revised Guidelines for the Official Accreditation of Organic Certifying Bodies (OCB) (51 page(s), in English)

6. Description of content: The guidelines for the official accreditation of Organic Certifying Bodies (OCB) are being amended to address the demands of the stakeholders of the organic agriculture industry. The revision intends to refine the official accreditation procedure to further complement the Philippines' Department of Agriculture's initiatives under the National Organic Agriculture Program (NOAP).

7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: The provisions under this Department Circular aim to provide the criteria,

G/TBT/N/PHL/201 - 2 -

requirements and guidelines for the official accreditation of organic certifying bodies (OCBs), and ensure that officially accredited OCB implement the organic certification scheme in a competent, consistent, and impartial manner. This Department Circular replaces D.C. No. 06 Series of 2015 in order to make the following changes: 1. making accreditation to ISO/IEC 17065 optional instead of mandatory requirement for official accreditation; 2. inclusion of organic certification scheme for standardized certification protocols among OCBs; and 3. improving the processes and mechanism for decisions relative to official accreditation (e.g. suspension, handling appeals and complaints, etc.)

8. Relevant documents:  Department of Agriculture. 2013. Administrative Order No. 13, Series of 2013: Revision to Administrative Order No. 07, Series of 2011 Re Amendments to Administrative Order No. 13, Series of 2003, on the Guidelines in the Accreditation of Certifying Bodies (CBs) for Organic Agriculture. Quezon City, Philippines, 9pp  National Organic Program (NOP, USDA). 2015. Instruction: Enforcement of the USDA Organic Regulations Penalty Matrix. Washington, DC, 7pp.  Philippine Accreditation Bureau. 2011. Quality Procedure - Management System Accreditation - The Accreditation Process. Makati, Philippines. 17pp.

9. Proposed date of adoption: - Proposed date of entry into force: -

10. Final date for comments: 20 days from notification

11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body: Office of the Director Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards Department of Agriculture BPI Compound, Visayas Avenue Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] Telephone No.: (632) 928-8741 to 64 loc. 3301-3319; 273-2474 loc. 3318 Website: www.bafs.da.gov.ph

Attached Copy: Department Circular No. ___ Series of 2017: Revised Guidelines for the Official Accreditation of Organic Certifying Bodies (OCB)

https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2017/TBT/PHL/17_5024_00_e.pdf