China, Russia, Japan: ICEA launches bridges for the organic import and export linked to the three major global markets.

The international vocation of the Ethical and Environmental Certification Institute, that with more than 12 thousand controlled firms is among largest European inspection bodies, is enriched with three new entries. “To confirm - as declared by the ICEA’s CEO, Gaetano Paparella – that our Institute is oriented to a global commitment supporting the local economy”. 

The first partnership is focused on the Russian market, where Saint Petersburg Ecological Union (www.ecounion.ru), the local inspection body, will act locally on behalf of ICEA. This will be the result of a longtime established partnership that, for instance, has recently involved the participation of the Italian Institute through its representative for Foreign sector Michela Coli to the National Organic Congress, held to Moscow in the framework of the Prodexpo Fair (www.prod-expo.biorganic.ru), where ICEA was the only European inspector body to be invited as a speaker. 

From Russia to China. Here ICEA is starting the accreditation process through the accreditation body Certification and Accreditation Administration of China (CNCA), to be able to certify in China for import and export based on organic, Global GAP, and GOTS standards. 
All in accordance with Organic Food Development and Certification Center of China (OFDC), one of the largest Chinese control and certification bodies, with which ICEA has already entered in a contractual agreement in the framework of the international coordination “Certification Alliance”, established among different South-East Asian associations of the sector.

Always the Far-Eastern area, is going to be enforced the agreement signed from ICEA in March with Jona, the most historical and important among Japanese control bodies. The  arrangement was made in November and as a result has implied training three Japanese inspector for crop and processed food products, according to both EC and NOP standards.  

The agreement has just lead up to the first organic farm certified by ICEA in Japan (cereals and legumes sector), while a second one is coming (rare teas: Japanese producers, Italians importers).
Last but not least, always on Japanese market, ICEA has shown a strong interest for the sustainable fishing and is working for the first agreement in the no-food sectors, in particular in the textile one.