S.L. 427.93 Art. 8Certification.

(1) No product shall be produced, processed, labelled, marketed or sold in Malta as being organic unless it conforms with the provisions of these regulations, the Council Regulation, Regulation

(EC) 889/2008, and Regulation (EC) 1235/2008. OF ORGANIC PRODUCTS

(2) No operator shall produce, process, prepare, sell or market any product labelled as organic unless this operator has obtained the relevant certification from the competent authority, control authority or control body as indicated by the competent authority.

(3) The competent authority shall establish the necessary procedures in order for operators to be granted the certification referred to in sub-regulation (2). Applicants must refer to the competent authority to initiate the process of certification, and shall subsequently be guided on certification procedures.

(4) Each certificate issued shall be valid for a period of three years:

Provided that every certificate holder shall be subject to at least an annual inspection in order to ensure compliance with the provisions of these regulations, the Council Regulation, Regulation

(EC) 889/2008, and Regulation (EC) 1235/2008 once every year:

Provided further that the Directorate shall, upon a report from a third party or on its own initiative carry out inspections in order to verify that these regulations are being adhered to.

(5) The fee to be charged to operators submitting their undertaking to the control system shall be decided by the competent authority, the control authority or the control body as the case may be, and published on the website of the relevant authority.

(6) No operator shall change the control authority or control body, under which he has been granted certification, until any pending irregularities have been resolved through the necessary measures.