Germany supports Sri Lanka to access EU market for organic products

Germany has stepped in to support Sri Lankan exporters of organic products to obtain broader market access to European Union by providing key information on required certifications and standards, labelling and packaging rules, and distribution channels, a German official said.

Chief Delegate German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka) Andreas Hergenroether said this while delivering remarks during a conference “Organic Food Products Made in Sri Lanka on August 18, 2021

“During the upcoming days the participants of the virtual business delegation will be individually matched according to their individual specific requirements with Sri Lankan exporters of organic products. Every single B2b-meeting has been thoroughly prepared and will be individually accompanied by my colleagues. During the preparation of the B2b-meetings the importance of standards and certification became evident.apart from the legally required certifications in the EU there are specific standards that are required by importers when it comes to quality, food security as well as sustainability. Today, it is not sufficient to obtain a European-organic certification, but industry and consumer-driven certifications such as IFS, BRC, ISO 22000 or BSCI, SA 8000, SMETA etc. must be obtained to get a broader market access to the EU.

Market access and future export earnings will depend very much on the ability to meet these requirements and standards. The potential is tremendous,” he said. (KELUM BANDARA)