LITHUANIAN SANCTION SYSTEM

Nonconformities and sanction system is confirmed by order of the director of Ekoagros

Validation of sanction system

1 – first level of nonconformity – a notice to eliminate the nonconformity within 30 calendar days

Filling of documentation, appeals registration

Not suitable rotation of plants: it doesn't grows pulses, it not used green manure, organic fertilizers

It is used not allowed propagating material without a permission of certification body

The animals are not suitably marked after treatment

Sick animals are not treated or isolated from healthy animals

The certification body did not get the information about treatment

2 – second level of nonconformity – a stright notice to eliminate the nonconformity within 30 calendar days

Filling of documentation, appeals registration (determined once again)

The products are labeled with a wrong information

Organic products are transported not in accordance with the requirements

The purchasing of animals exceeds the requirements limits

Storage area of animals doesn't meet the requirements for animal welfare

3 – third level of nonconformityNon-certification of a type/field/farm/part of farm, if the operator doesn‘t ask to perform an additional paid inspection to be sure that the nonconformity was eliminated

There is no identification of production which has a different status in storage area

Density of plants and trees doesn't satisfy the national regulations for organic production

Certified animals doesn't separate from the conventional animals

Animals do not have a possibility to pasture in the open air, first of all in the pasture area

4 – fourth level of nonconformity Non-certification of production

This nonconformity is applied , if:

there is mixed production of different status

there is no identification about origin of the products

negative impacts to the products origin – organic status

5 – fifth level of nonconformity Non- certification of a type/field/farm/part of farm or production

This nonconformity is applied for:

systematic reccurent infringements

usage synthetic fertilizers/pesticides/stained seeds

heavy infringements for certified area, animals or production

falcification of documents, refusing to accept the inspector

34. Keeping livestock tethered (despite authorized exceptions)

(National rules 45, 100.3; IR 39 str., 95 str.; R 14 str. 1b vi)

Sanction applied if ascertained (during the inspection), that livestock are kept tethered Sanction applied also if animals are kept hoppled

Exceptions:1. Cattle in small holdings can be tethered if it is not possible to keep the cattle in groups appropriate to their

behaviour requirements, on condition that during the grazing period when weather and ground conditions are appropriate, cattle have the possibility to graze in pastures and open-air exercise areas; when grazing is impossible, cattle must be driven out to open-air exercise areas at least twice a week.

2. Cattle can be tethered in buildings already existing before 24 August, provided that regular exercise is provided and rearing takes place in line with animal welfare requirements. The derogation is valid until December 31th. If individual operator asks for permission, the Ministry of Agriculture can let the application of the exception, but no longer than until December 31th; on condition that additional control of the holding will be executed at least twice a year.

3. Individual animals can be tethered for a limited time and this must be based on safety, welfare or veterinary reasons

Remarks. Small organic-production unit, in which organic-production methods are applied and under 100 defined-unit animal are kept.

1st time –additional inspection (paid).

If sanction is established, additional inspection (paid) is applied, to ensure that certified animals are kept untied. However, if animals are kept tethered or hoppled during the additional revision or the operator does not want additional revision, the certificate for current animal species is not provided – 5 h level of sanction is applied.

Example of sanction

Parallel production is growing

It is used not allowed propagating material

It is used not suitable rotation of plants: it doesn't grows pulses, it not used green manure, organic fertilizers

The same plants is growing in the same field more than two years

Density of plants and trees doesn't satisfy the national regulations for organic production

It is used synthetic fertilizers/pesticides/stained seeds in the storage area

Others nonconformities

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900

875

847

157

108

84

11

49

824

650

280

116

103

26

32

20132012

Distribution of the plant production nonconformities in the 2012-2013