Sponsor of the label

The sponsor of the “biolabel” system is the Free State of Bavaria, represented by the Bavarian Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Forestry. The symbol sponsor has the final decision regarding the issue of licenses and the approval of quality and test specifications.

Licensee

Licensees issue the right to use the label to companies within the European Union in the farming and food sector and in the food retail trade (label users). The biolabel may be used only by those holdings that have concluded a label usage agreement with the licensees.

Licensees of the biolabel can include organizations, associations, or federations within the European Union in the farming and food sector who are able to ensure the implementation of the tests required as per the provisions of the programme and the compliance with the specified provisions. (LINK) The licensees also coordinate the necessary controls to be carried out at the sites of the label users and other programme participants. For this purpose they commission independent certification bodies to inspect the holdings regarding their compliance with the programme requirements and the proper legal use of the label. Parties interested in becoming a recognized licensee can send a written application to the sponsor of the label:

Bayerisches Staatsministerium für
Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten
Referat M 1
Ludwigstraße 2
80539 Munich
Germany

No licensees have yet been given official recognition.

Label users

Companies in the farming and food sector as well as companies in the food retail trade within the member states of the European Union are entitled to use the biolabel on their organic products subject to the condition that

• the provisions of the programme are fulfilled, and
• the company has concluded a label usage agreement with a licensee officially recognized by the label sponsor.

The use of the label to identify the holding or the company is not permitted.

Companies interested in using the biolabel can send a written application to one of the officially recognized licensees for the label.

No licensees have yet been given official recognition.

Before granting the right to use the label for the first time, the licensee or the certification body commissioned by him runs

• tests on the products of the applicant for fulfilment of the programme provisions and
• an inspection of the company/holding

as measures to confirm the company’s/holding’s eligibility to use the label. If the applicant fulfils the programme provisions, the right to use the label is awarded to him/her in the form of a certificate of confirmation.

System control

As a measure to ensure the neutrality and objectivity of the programme organization and the controls, the licensees and the certification bodies are closely monitored by the “Bayerische Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft” (LfL, Bavarian State Research Institute for Agriculture), acting as a neutral state authority. The system control also acts as an independent point of contact for anonymous reports and complaints.

All relevant controls carried out in other member states of the European Union are officially recognized and do not require additional appraisal by the Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft (LfL).