Why organic, and why only organic
Conventional Japanese matcha can be imported into the EU legally; it has to meet EU pesticide limits and the importer has to be able to show it. In practice, the cafés, grocers and brands that reach us from Germany, France, the Netherlands and the UK want organic, because their customers read labels and their retailers require it. Rather than send a conventional lot to Europe and have it stall at a residue question, we made a rule: for the EU and the UK we ship certified organic lots only. The catalog, the country pages and the sample form all apply it. The rest of this article is how those lots get in.
JAS equivalence: what it covers
Japan is on the EU's list of third countries whose organic rules are recognised as equivalent, for plant products certified under the JAS organic standard. That recognition is what lets a JAS-certified matcha be sold as organic in the EU without being re-certified by an EU control body. The conditions: the product has to be certified under JAS by a certifying body recognised for the purpose, it has to be unprocessed or processed plant product (tea qualifies), and it has to travel with the organic import certificate described below. The JAS versus USDA article covers what the JAS certificate itself says about field, processing and mill.
The Certificate of Inspection
Every consignment of organic product imported into the EU needs a Certificate of Inspection, the COI, issued electronically in TRACES NT, the EU's trade control system, before the goods leave Japan. The certificate is raised by the Japanese certifying body that holds the JAS certification for the lot, on the exporter's request, naming the importer, the product, the quantity and the lot. On arrival the border control post checks the consignment against the COI and endorses it; only then can the importer release the goods as organic. Without an endorsed COI the matcha can still clear customs, but it cannot be sold as organic.
| Document | Who issues it | When | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAS organic certificate | The Japanese certifying body, to the mill | Annual | Proves the lot is certified organic at field, processing and mill level |
| Certificate of Inspection (COI) | The certifying body, in TRACES NT, on our request | Before departure, per consignment | The organic import certificate the EU border checks and endorses |
| Commercial invoice and packing list | ISSA MATCHA! | Per shipment | Customs value and contents |
| Certificate of analysis | Per lot | Per shipment | Residue, microbiology and heavy metals for the lot |
| Phytosanitary certificate | Japanese plant protection station | If the importer requires it | Plant health; not an organic document |
What the importer has to have
- Organic operator registration. The importer (the company that releases the goods) must be registered with an organic control body in its EU member state before the first shipment. A café that buys through a registered importer does not need its own registration; a café importing directly does.
- A TRACES NT account, so the COI can be issued in its name and endorsed on arrival.
- An EORI number and a customs broker who has handled organic consignments; the border check for organic product is separate from the customs declaration.
- Labelling under the EU organic regulation if the product is sold at retail: the EU organic logo, the control body code and the origin statement. Bulk foil used in your own drinks needs none of that.
The sequence, start to finish
- You confirm the lot, quantity and your importer's organic registration and TRACES details.
- We book the courier or forwarder and ask the certifying body to issue the COI in TRACES NT with your importer named.
- The COI is issued; the lot leaves Osaka with the invoice, packing list, COA and JAS certificate copy.
- At the EU border control post the consignment is checked and the COI endorsed. Customs clears the goods under CN 0902 at zero duty; import VAT applies at your country's rate.
- Your importer releases the goods as organic. Lot number and COI reference stay on file for the control body's audit.
Door to door this adds a few days at the front end for the certificate; it does not change the courier time. Our EU import guide covers the duty, VAT and residue side.
The four lots we ship to Europe
All four are JAS certified organic from Kagoshima, from the Yutakamidori cultivar or a Kagoshima organic blend, and all four carry the USDA equivalence as well. The catalog filter shows exactly these.
| Lot | Harvest | Use | USD / kg, FOB Osaka |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun | 1st harvest, May 2026 | Usucha, the drink you name | $275 |
| Mori | 2nd harvest, July 2026 | Lattes | $220 |
| Daichi | 2nd harvest blend | Volume, iced drinks | $210 |
| Sawa | 2nd harvest, July 2026 | Lattes | $205 |
A German or Dutch café usually runs Jun for the menu drink and Daichi or Sawa for volume. The sample form, once you choose an EU country, shows only these four, so a buyer cannot pick a conventional lot by mistake. For more organic volume we mill organic tencha to order with about four weeks' notice.
The UK after Brexit
Great Britain runs its own organic import system now. Japan's JAS organic is recognised as equivalent for the same product scope, the importer must be registered with a UK-approved organic control body, and the consignment needs a GB Certificate of Inspection rather than the EU one. The practical difference for a London buyer is which certificate we ask the certifying body to raise. Our UK page has the duty, VAT and labelling detail; the organic sequence above is the same with the GB certificate in place of TRACES.
Questions buyers ask
Do I need a Certificate of Inspection to import organic matcha into the EU?
Yes. Every organic consignment needs a COI issued in TRACES NT by the Japanese certifying body before departure and endorsed at the EU border control post. Without it the tea can clear customs but cannot be sold as organic.
Is Japanese JAS organic recognised in the EU?
Yes. Japan is on the EU's equivalence list for plant products certified under JAS, which covers tea. A JAS-certified matcha can be sold as organic in the EU with the COI, without EU re-certification.
Does my café need an organic registration to import?
The company that releases the goods must be registered with an organic control body in its member state and have a TRACES NT account. A café buying through a registered importer does not need its own registration.
Which of your matcha can go to the EU and UK?
Our four JAS certified organic lots from Kagoshima: Jun ($275 / kg), Mori ($220), Daichi ($210) and Sawa ($205). We ship only certified organic lots to the EU and UK.
