Cocoa Bean Requirements for Entering the European Market

Source: CBI

What standards must Liberia’s cocoa including general requirements for food products. The Trade Helpdesk beans meet in order to enter the of the European Commission gives a complete overview of legal and European market? other requirements for the European cocoa market. The HS Product Code for cocoa products is 1801. According to CBI, Western and Roughly 85% of Liberia’s cocoa is Northern European countries generally have stricter additional traded into the European market. As requirements than Southern and Eastern European countries. more and more Liberian companies look to navigate direct trade, there are several legal and non-legal The table also includes requirements from some buyers that go requirements that these companies beyond existing legislation; these include food safety, environmental and their beans must meet. impact, and social responsibility. Specific niche requirements often differ per buyer; meeting these standards for value addition can The table below outlines the most significantly increase Liberian companies’ potential to enter the important requirements needed to market cocoa products in Europe, market.

Mandatory requirements Additional Buyer Requirements Niche Market Requirements ✓ Food Safety ✓ Quality criteria ✓ Organic certification - Cocoa products - Buyers in Europe - Demand for fine must comply with currently assess the flavor cocoa with European quality and flavor of cocoa organic certification is legislation on food beans in different ways rapidly growing in safety and food and often use a Europe, making this hygiene. combination of two or an interesting niche more methodologies. The market. To market ✓ Food contaminants guide Cocoa Beans: your cocoa as - European Union Chocolate & Cocoa organic in the legislation ensures Industry Quality European market, it that contaminants Requirements provides must comply with the are kept at levels recommendations on regulations of the that are as low as cocoa growing, post- European Union for possible so that harvest practices and organic production they do not quality evaluation and labelling. threaten human methods that contribute to ✓ Fair trade certification health. The levels cocoa quality. - Fairtrade are set based on ✓ Food safety certification scientific advice International (FLO) is provided by - The main standards in the leading standard- the European Food this area are provided setting organization Safety by GLOBALG.A.P. These for Fairtrade. After Authority (EFSA). are voluntary standards accreditation by an for the certification of independent third ✓ Labelling agricultural production party, you can put the - European Union processes that provide Fairtrade logo on food labelling rules safe and traceable your product. In ensure that products. addition to consumers receive ✓ Corporate Social certification, essential Responsibility transparency of the information that - European buyers will supply chain is an allows them to expect you to comply with asset in the specialty make an informed their code of conduct segment. choice when regarding Corporate Communicate a purchasing their Social Responsibility. This traceable, clear and food. can be their own code of direct link between conduct or one based on the producer and ✓ Packaging external initiatives such consumers. requirements as the Business Social - Read more about Compliance Initiative trading and (BSCI) or Sedex shipping cocoa Members Ethical Trade beans in the Cocoa Audit (SMETA). guide to trade ✓ Sustainability certification practices of the - There are several International Trade sustainability certification Centre. schemes that focus on different aspects of sustainability, the popularity of which may vary from one country or segment to another. Rainforest Alliance is the most widespread certification scheme for cocoa.

For additional information and tips, read here. • Exporting Premium Cocoa Beans to Europe and the USA • Introduction to Premium Cocoa Markets in Europe and USA

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